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Google Fights Back

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Re: Google Fights Back

#261

Post by 50656E6973 »

TulliusCicero wrote: post #203
clairity wrote: post #191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you're rationalizing, i.e., looking the other way to avoid cognitive dissonance. but part of why we have such big brains is to anticipate the future, not simply accept events as they occur. what might the future you say? should we ignore that gas leak in the kitchen because it hasn't killed anyone yet? it's important to expose this kind of mis-rationalization, especially when tiny individual harms accumulate otherwis…

This word, I don't think it means what you think it means. > should we ignore that gas leak in the kitchen because it hasn't killed anyone yet? No, but it's hard to see how using personal data to sell ads is going to cause a harm anywhere near as bad as a person dying.

>it's hard to see how using personal data to sell ads is going to cause a harm anywhere near as bad as a person dying

No need for imagination, simply read history:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_and_the_Holocaust

Re: Google Fights Back

#262

Post by britch »

busymom0 wrote: post #166

I think this is all just a PR stunt and Google's business model goes against user privacy. It's quite interesting the way people are more willing to trust Google than Facebook with their data though. I think this might come from Google actually offering more "useful/needed/can't live without" offerings vs facebook's more vanity based services. For example, Google takes your very privacy sensitive location data but al…

It is possible for most people to live their lives without Facebook's Apps.

It is not possible for most people to live their lives without some form of Google, whether it's search, email, drive, maps, docs, or calendar. It's almost impossible to function today without using Google or interfacing with someone who is using Google.

People are more OK with Google because there is no alternative.

Re: Google Fights Back

#263

Post by Dirlewanger »

throwayEngineer wrote: post #202
areoform wrote: post #7

Google owns my soul. Their boxes know when I sleep, when I wake, how much I exercise, what I listen to, my innermost thoughts, my chats with loved ones, what I watched on Netflix last night, what my company does, the flu I have at the moment, what the hypochondriac in me looks up in the middle of the night, what I buy, whom I call, what I spend money on, where I spend it... I nominally pay for these services, but I s…

You think Apple is less evil than Google? Remember that Apple has been cracked by the FBI, has proprietary connectors, and charges more than anyone. I couldn't disagree more. Apple is horrible to customers and developers.

Remember that Apple didn't help the FBI in breaking it. Apple stood up to the FBI. The FBI later went to an Israeli firm to crack it.

Re: Google Fights Back

#264

Post by krapp »

50656E6973 wrote: post #261
TulliusCicero wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This word, I don't think it means what you think it means. > should we ignore that gas leak in the kitchen because it hasn't killed anyone yet? No, but it's hard to see how using personal data to sell ads is going to cause a harm anywhere near as bad as a person dying.

>it's hard to see how using personal data to sell ads is going to cause a harm anywhere near as bad as a person dying No need for imagination, simply read history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_and_the_Holocaust

To be fair, none of that involved selling ads.

Re: Google Fights Back

#265

Post by justinmchase »

The inline translate text using your camera, right from search was in windows phone circa 2010. Just sayin'. This feature plus offline maps caching & offline routing with subway info was incredibly useful for a European vacation my wife and I took.

RIP WP8

Re: Google Fights Back

#266

Post by 50656E6973 »

Jach wrote: post #215
areoform wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but 100 years will anyone care that you had the flu on May 7 2019 My future health care provider might. Maybe they’ll spike rates by figuring out how often I’m ill using this data. Maybe I will marry a congressman someday and the sext that I sent today to my BF will be used to blackmail us. Maybe 30 years from now, people will be able to use my youthful indiscretions as leverage. Maybe I won’t get certain jobs beca…

Maybe they'll lower your rates by figuring out how often you're ill. Similarly with life insurance. Or they might not change. Maybe someone will try to blackmail you and your congressman husband, but both of you will just shrug, because no one cares at all about nudes. Not even you, after a few more decades of information wanting to be free and becoming free and public. Maybe it's better that you didn't get those job…

>this isn't the power to reshape the Earth at all

Then why are there so many tech companies obsessed with "changing the world"?

None of your rebuttal did anything to negate the fact that big data can be and is used as a weapon the likes of which the world has never seen before.

Re: Google Fights Back

#267

Post by gordon_freeman »

dreamcompiler wrote: post #251

Every company has two mission statements: The stated one and the real one. Google's real mission statement is "make shitloads of money selling everyone's personal information to advertisers." The noises Google makes about being "useful" are just cover for the fact that being useful is the only way they can entice everyone to give them that personal information for free. If Google could get a law passed that required…

This is a very cynical way to look at Google's business. I agree that their business model is based on connecting (mostly relevant) ads from the advertisers to the users with the help of user data but I do find some of those ads pretty useful. Let me just give you one example: I had almost missed the due date for the smog check on my car and at the last moment I searched on Google with query "smog check nearby" and I found the top Ad with the nearest to me and with the cheapest rate for the smog check service. I had a really good and pleasant experience as well. So That's Google for me: It helps me when I need it the most.

Re: Google Fights Back

#268

Post by SquareWheel »

marnett wrote: post #159
kinkrtyavimoodh wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I downvoted you because you are peddling outright lies. Google Duplex has been launched and you can use it today to book appointments in restaurants that are not on any table booking platform. Have you tried it? If you haven't, please do. If you have, and you still insist on saying it doesn't exist, please explain what it will take to convince you. (Edit: I went through your comment history and your comments pattern…

Google Duplex is only available in the US, that is less than 5% of the population. HN is a global community - it is entirely believable that GP is unable to use this service that, after a year, is not available outside the US market. Also, please do not accuse people of being trolls. It is against the site guidelines and is not constructive discourse.

>it is entirely believable that GP is unable to use this service

They didn't say "it isn't available to me". They said it was "BS" - that is, that it was a lie and isn't a real service. They could have easily verified for themselves this isn't true. They could have even read the linked article which specifically mentions that Duplex did in fact come out.

Re: Google Fights Back

#269

Post by loudtieblahblah »

pdimitar wrote: post #127
nirvdrum wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know if it falls under "freedom to tinker", but having a microSD slot saved my vacation once (well, the pictures of it anyway). We were out at a children's amusement park in the mountains with poor service, so just moving things to the cloud wasn't an option. Deleting apps from my phone to pick up space is of course an option, but also a silly one. Swapping out the microSD card, however, was simple and I just…

I understand (also upvoted). This is why I bought the 256GB versions (although your photo archives might be even bigger). Not sure what I can recommend but in any case I'd probably get a professional camera with 400GB SD card. :D I mean, if you guys like to make long videos during a time outside, why not? I agree Apple's proposition has cracks by the way. Not arguing that. As for W10 Mobile, yep -- I sold my Lumia 15…

large onboard storage is no replacement for being able to swap out cards.

especially in the case of a phone failure to boot.

Re: Google Fights Back

#270

Post by azazel75 »

So we live in a society that isn't able to find the resources to teach someone how to read and get free... Instead that people can buy an Android phone and become a slave of the technology... what a shame
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