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Facebook iOS SDK Remotely Crashing Spotify, TikTok, Pinterest, Winno and More

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Re: Facebook iOS SDK Remotely Crashing Spotify, TikTok, Pinterest, Winno and More

#241

Post by scarface74 »

Nicksil wrote: post #226
scarface74 wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those who don’t learn from history.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications_Decency_Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Millennium_Copyright_A... And a few where we dodged a billet. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate_Act

You're trying to convince me that the system isn't perfect. Listen, I've long since agreed with you. I commented on your initial response because it was overly dismissive and implied the only way forward is to first wait until we have a government stocked with domain experts who only act only on policy within their domain. It dismisses the fact that it is unlikely that the politicians introducing regulation were sole…

Given the choice between a corrupt company and a corrupt politician, the corrupt politician can do far more damage. It’s far easier for me to choose which companies I use than choose which government that I am under.

The government can do and has done far more damage than big tech.

Re: Facebook iOS SDK Remotely Crashing Spotify, TikTok, Pinterest, Winno and More

#242

Post by Joeri »

marmada wrote: post #165
Nicksil wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Is that "spyware"? Yes, absolutely. It uses energy and bandwidth I paid for to surreptitiously transmit my information for use which will solely benefit Facebook and the software developer.

I feel like I'm in the minority here -- but I don't understand the problem. Software developers want to know whether their existing marketing methods are effective. The FB SDK helps with this. You always have the choice to not install the app (if you don't want to). This also helps developers make sure their marketing is effective and reaching the right people, which seems like a win-win to me.

What’s wrong are two things: lack of transparency and lack of choice. They could just ask where people got the app, and offer them a choice not to disclose, but they choose to not offer the user that choice and to not transparently communicate the choice has been withheld.

That’s user-hostile.

The problem with saying “just don’t install the app” is that you have to be informed first, and that even then you have no real choice. If you want to take part in digital social networks you must surrender control and privacy. If your data is a valuable commodity you should be able to decide who gets what, just like you decide with your money. But you can’t, not really.

Re: Facebook iOS SDK Remotely Crashing Spotify, TikTok, Pinterest, Winno and More

#243

Post by Nextgrid »

blackoil wrote: post #222
Waterluvian wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't mind me. I'm just going to come into your house and record what commercials you are watching. I'm not spyware I'm just _merely_ wanting to know about my marketing budget. Analogy may not be perfect but it takes serious mental gymnastics to fail to see this as spyware, in my opinion.

Isn't that how the TRP is calculated. IIRC agencies install devices in random houses to find which program is being watched.

The difference is that this is done with the user’s explicit consent and I’m pretty sure they get compensated for it.

Re: Facebook iOS SDK Remotely Crashing Spotify, TikTok, Pinterest, Winno and More

#244

Post by Nextgrid »

drdrey wrote: post #202
yllus wrote: post #36

For those wondering why the Facebook SDK is so widely used in popular mobile apps: Facebook Login is actually in the minority of reasons to add the Facebook SDK to your mobile app. The vast majority of apps will add the Facebook SDK because it contains Facebook App Ads; a library that "completes the circle" in terms of finding out how effectively the ads you ran on Facebook were at getting people to download, install…

How does the Facebook SDK in a 3rd party app correlate that you're the same user if you don't log into the app with FB? Is there some universal device identifier all your apps have access to?

The IP addresses (both WiFi and mobile), device make/model, carrier and locale can be combined into a fairly unique fingerprint, narrowing it down even more over time since the SDK phones home every time the app is opened.

Re: Facebook iOS SDK Remotely Crashing Spotify, TikTok, Pinterest, Winno and More

#245

Post by Nextgrid »

sbmthakur wrote: post #233
yllus wrote: post #36

For those wondering why the Facebook SDK is so widely used in popular mobile apps: Facebook Login is actually in the minority of reasons to add the Facebook SDK to your mobile app. The vast majority of apps will add the Facebook SDK because it contains Facebook App Ads; a library that "completes the circle" in terms of finding out how effectively the ads you ran on Facebook were at getting people to download, install…

Many apps on my Android device routinely send requests to edge-star- .facebook.com even when I don't use facebook login. Are these ad related requests?

That’s most likely the Facebook SDK we’re talking about. The SDK phones home regularly regardless of whether it’s features are actually being used.

Re: Facebook iOS SDK Remotely Crashing Spotify, TikTok, Pinterest, Winno and More

#246

Post by Nextgrid »

floatingatoll wrote: post #184
surferbayarea wrote: post #11

Why is facebook spyware part of Spotify. I signed up to Spotify via email not facebook login.

Facebook chose to make Facebook Login spyware, and Spotify didn't think anyone would mind when they did, because who cares about tracking? and/or wasn't aware, because who could realize this from the unclear Facebook docs? (Either is possible!) That was a very pre-2019 decision, and now that Facebook just set the world on fire, we're probably going to see a lot fewer Login with Facebook.

The ironic thing is that you can actually implement Facebook login in a privacy-respectful manner by using standard oAuth where Facebook is only contacted when the user decides to log in with it (which is mostly fine as they have an account anyway and thus consent to Facebook tracking).

Re: Facebook iOS SDK Remotely Crashing Spotify, TikTok, Pinterest, Winno and More

#247

Post by yashdeeph709 »

Nicksil wrote: post #52
yllus wrote: post #36

For those wondering why the Facebook SDK is so widely used in popular mobile apps: Facebook Login is actually in the minority of reasons to add the Facebook SDK to your mobile app. The vast majority of apps will add the Facebook SDK because it contains Facebook App Ads; a library that "completes the circle" in terms of finding out how effectively the ads you ran on Facebook were at getting people to download, install…

>Is that "spyware"? Yes, absolutely. It uses energy and bandwidth I paid for to surreptitiously transmit my information for use which will solely benefit Facebook and the software developer.

> Is that "spyware"? No You know its being used then you install the app. You have a choice. Either don't use Spotify and go to some shitty open source music app or give your data.

Re: Facebook iOS SDK Remotely Crashing Spotify, TikTok, Pinterest, Winno and More

#248

Post by [deleted] »

ignoramous wrote: post #31
ExactActuation wrote: post #16

But all of the engineers passed LeetCode, how could this be?

Facebook engineering generally is super competent. Leet code or not, such slip ups are bound to happen from time to time. True test of competence would be these mistakes don't repeat and that they learn from it, which I'm pretty sure they would.

[deleted]

Re: Facebook iOS SDK Remotely Crashing Spotify, TikTok, Pinterest, Winno and More

#249

Post by Nextgrid »

lancefisher wrote: post #200

We found a couple workarounds while Facebook was busy fixing this. 1. Airplane mode 2. Block facebook.com as adult content under Settings | Screen Time | Content Restrictions | Web Content | Limit Adult Websites | Add a site. 3. Block facebook.com at your router. Option 2 could be helpful if you want to block it for privacy reasons.

Does the adult filter work in apps? If so this seems like a lovely workaround for the lack of firewall.

Re: Facebook iOS SDK Remotely Crashing Spotify, TikTok, Pinterest, Winno and More

#250

Post by Nicksil »

geofft wrote: post #228
Nicksil wrote: post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Software developers want to know whether their existing marketing methods are effective. The FB SDK helps with this. As you mention, this is something the software developer want, not necessarily the user . >You always have the choice to not install the app (if you don't want to). This argument may have some teeth if directed toward a user in our industry. Depending on the scope of the particular software in questio…

This very same argument would apply to, say, "5% of the price of my dinner goes towards healthcare for the waitstaff. That's something the company wants, not something I want." There are much better argument for it being spyware, e.g., that it spies. It's not a very strong argument that a thing is bad simply because it helps the provider of the thing.

>This very same argument would apply to, say, "5% of the price of my dinner goes towards healthcare for the waitstaff. That's something the company wants, not something I want."

I'm not sure I follow. If you're paying the same amount in either scenario, how are you adversely affected when a portion of your bill is allocated to a healthcare account?

>There are much better argument for it being spyware, e.g., that it spies. It's not a very strong argument that a thing is bad simply because it helps the provider of the thing.

I'm lost here, as well. Your argument is that I haven't made any arguments stronger than "that it spies"? I agree that stating only "that it spies" would be lacking critical thought and analysis, but my arguments have been more specific. The whole "it spies" assertion, generally speaking, is the basis for the more detailed responses I've submitted to this discussion.

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