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Google starts tracking what people buy in physical stores

latimes.com

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Re: Google starts tracking what people buy in physical stores

#31

Post by __david__ »

adjkant wrote: post #20
paradite wrote: post #12

Now I will have to seriously consider getting off the Google ecosystem now. Deactivating facebook was okay, but Google might be tricky considering many of website accounts use Google authentication.

Okay, this is a small rant that is not directly aimed at you, so nothing personal. This is aimed generally more at people in the privacy at all costs camp and the like. If there's some viewpoint I'm missing here I'd also love to hear it, so it's not really a mean-spirited rant either. Google owns the internet at this point. For general use purposes, they ARE the internet. So avoiding them should really have at least…

I don't know, I think it's easier than you make it out to be. I don't use gmail, I have Duck Duck Go as my main search engine, I don't log into Google in my main browser. I just don't use anything on a regular basis that needs a google login. When I do, I open Chrome and log in there, so it doesn't taint my main browser. It hasn't affected my life or my career negatively (or at all, really).

Re: Google starts tracking what people buy in physical stores

#32

Post by adjkant »

CameronBanga wrote: post #25
adjkant wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Okay, this is a small rant that is not directly aimed at you, so nothing personal. This is aimed generally more at people in the privacy at all costs camp and the like. If there's some viewpoint I'm missing here I'd also love to hear it, so it's not really a mean-spirited rant either. Google owns the internet at this point. For general use purposes, they ARE the internet. So avoiding them should really have at least…

"Hey, they did feed us our whole lives, and gave us room to run for a bit. And they're a farm, so it's your fault for not realizing they were going to kill you for meat the entire time. And we're practically halfway to the slaughter house right now, so why would you even try to put up a fight. Just give in and let them end it nice and quick."

As opposed to going kicking and screaming, all to the same end?

The metaphor is still flawed thoguh doesn't add anything to the conversation here. What exactly is the equivalent of death here? Google has all your data - what could they do with it that will affect you realistically? Or if someone malicious gets it?

My point is that the likelihood of malicious activity is low, and so are the consequences. Am I missing something?

Re: Google starts tracking what people buy in physical stores

#33

Post by adjkant »

teaneedz wrote: post #24
adjkant wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Okay, this is a small rant that is not directly aimed at you, so nothing personal. This is aimed generally more at people in the privacy at all costs camp and the like. If there's some viewpoint I'm missing here I'd also love to hear it, so it's not really a mean-spirited rant either. Google owns the internet at this point. For general use purposes, they ARE the internet. So avoiding them should really have at least…

I think the point is that we will give our data and maybe trust to other companies. I don't care if Google is hurt or not. Another company that is more privacy-centric and not creepily tracking everything (anonymized or not) will benefit though.

Agreed, I'm not for/against Google here either. So is there a privacy-centered company that offers what Google does?

Re: Google starts tracking what people buy in physical stores

#34

Post by xj9 »

adjkant wrote: post #20
paradite wrote: post #12

Now I will have to seriously consider getting off the Google ecosystem now. Deactivating facebook was okay, but Google might be tricky considering many of website accounts use Google authentication.

Okay, this is a small rant that is not directly aimed at you, so nothing personal. This is aimed generally more at people in the privacy at all costs camp and the like. If there's some viewpoint I'm missing here I'd also love to hear it, so it's not really a mean-spirited rant either. Google owns the internet at this point. For general use purposes, they ARE the internet. So avoiding them should really have at least…

i don't avoid spy-tech companies to hurt them, i do it because i have a problem with being spied on. i also prefer to be a direct customer of the businesses whose services i utilize. it is important to me that our interests are aligned. why? i don't really know. personal preference? paranoia? doesn't really matter.

i can't control google and i don't care about trying to influence them. i do my own thing and i make a lot of my own stuff. i like it that way. i like the independence.

Re: Google starts tracking what people buy in physical stores

#35

Post by tomascot »

cyberhigh wrote: post #28
inesta wrote: post #11

Hmm I was wondering how some stores show up on Google maps even though I did not use Google maps to get to those places. God damm Google.

That is because you have location services enabled on your phone. Google collects your phones location with this on. You can see the details by going to your location history.

Also WiFi

Re: Google starts tracking what people buy in physical stores

#36

Post by adjkant »

__david__ wrote: post #31
adjkant wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Okay, this is a small rant that is not directly aimed at you, so nothing personal. This is aimed generally more at people in the privacy at all costs camp and the like. If there's some viewpoint I'm missing here I'd also love to hear it, so it's not really a mean-spirited rant either. Google owns the internet at this point. For general use purposes, they ARE the internet. So avoiding them should really have at least…

I don't know, I think it's easier than you make it out to be. I don't use gmail, I have Duck Duck Go as my main search engine, I don't log into Google in my main browser. I just don't use anything on a regular basis that needs a google login. When I do, I open Chrome and log in there, so it doesn't taint my main browser. It hasn't affected my life or my career negatively (or at all, really).

That's a fair answer, and I'm sure one that many share. Thanks for addressing the question directly - I see how for a minority of users, the switch makes sense.

I guess for me, I don't care enough to make all those changes. As a Chrome user, the sync across things is nice, and I enjoy the interface. I'll take the ease at risk of someone having my data in a catastrophic situation. Obviously, your choice makes great sense for you.

Re: Google starts tracking what people buy in physical stores

#37

Post by mc32 »

thinkling wrote: post #4

FTA: "Google says it has access to roughly 70% of U.S. credit and debit card transactions through partnerships with companies that track that data." Wow.

So the only way to break the circle is to purchase with cash... And now fewer and fewer people buy with cash, to the point some Nordics plan on doing away with cash as much as possible.

Re: Google starts tracking what people buy in physical stores

#38

Post by mattnewton »

yborg wrote: post #26
thinkling wrote: post #4

FTA: "Google says it has access to roughly 70% of U.S. credit and debit card transactions through partnerships with companies that track that data." Wow.

I'm actually surprised that retailers haven't started surcharging people paying in cash by now in order to drive all of individuals' transaction data into the panopticon.

They won't in the medium term because of how much they hate the credit card company's cut. 3% is a lot on an already low-margin transaction at Walmart.

Re: Google starts tracking what people buy in physical stores

#40

Post by a3_nm »

mc32 wrote: post #37
thinkling wrote: post #4

FTA: "Google says it has access to roughly 70% of U.S. credit and debit card transactions through partnerships with companies that track that data." Wow.

So the only way to break the circle is to purchase with cash... And now fewer and fewer people buy with cash, to the point some Nordics plan on doing away with cash as much as possible.

It's very important to keep making as many purchases in cash as possible, precisely for this reason. At least where I live (France), this is very doable.

Cash is an anonymous payment system which cannot be traced and is widely accepted. It's something that would be impossible to bootstrap today if it didn't already exist. Hence, it's crucial to keep it alive.

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