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You can't leak users' data if you don't hold it

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Re: You can't leak users' data if you don't hold it

#41

Post by MichaelZuo »

stpn wrote: post #29

I really love this sentiment. Unfortunately, it also seems really hard to build many kinds of applications in a way that follows this line of thinking. I've been building a personal finance app with privacy in mind, but there are some places where you might begrudgingly "hold" a users' data that are just unavoidable. For instance, if we want to be a serious competitor and have bank integrations, then plaid etc. will…

You can always make an app that is not competitive with those which do store user data…

Re: You can't leak users' data if you don't hold it

#42

Post by albumen »

throwawaysleep wrote: post #33
dylan604 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Before devices, people were able to find ways to kill time at work just fine. As a human, we're perfectly capable of surviving without the device. I know that seems antithetical to zillenials, but it will be more than okay to look away from the screen for an extended period of time. Personally, having a driver sit their counting the number of red cars or counting the number of different state license plates is equall…

Users didn’t consider them just fine, as they immediately abandoned them when given the chance.

That doesn't mean it's not harming them. Have addicts made the right choice by indulging their weakness?

Re: You can't leak users' data if you don't hold it

#43

Post by ndr »

AlienRobot wrote: post #36
ndr wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Well the app might [...] change how it works [...] but your data never left your device, so you don't really have to worry about it being leaked to Belarus. You're one update away from having an app that has access to all its data and can ship it anywhere. Do you keep updates off?

I wish I could keep my updates off. Every time I turn on my computer dnfdragora is like "there are 35 new updates!" Oh yeah? But my computer is working. Those updates could fix problems that I don't have but could break stuff I have as well. I'm not updating until they release Fedora 40. (my nvidia driver stopped working when I upgraded to 39, again...) To begin with who thought these notifications were a good idea?…

This is viable when your app works completely offline.

As soon as it has a server to talk to things changes. It becomes rather expensive to maintain a server that has to support any previous client, or to support all the users who don't know how to update.

In practice auto-update is the best default. Android lets you turn it off. On iOS I don't know.

Re: You can't leak users' data if you don't hold it

#44

Post by albumen »

AlienRobot wrote: post #36
ndr wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Well the app might [...] change how it works [...] but your data never left your device, so you don't really have to worry about it being leaked to Belarus. You're one update away from having an app that has access to all its data and can ship it anywhere. Do you keep updates off?

I wish I could keep my updates off. Every time I turn on my computer dnfdragora is like "there are 35 new updates!" Oh yeah? But my computer is working. Those updates could fix problems that I don't have but could break stuff I have as well. I'm not updating until they release Fedora 40. (my nvidia driver stopped working when I upgraded to 39, again...) To begin with who thought these notifications were a good idea?…

I can do anecdata too. Photoshop added content-aware fill, and then generative fill. These have been useful additions for me, saving time that was previously tedious stamp-tool work.

Re: You can't leak users' data if you don't hold it

#46

Post by [deleted] »

okeuro49 wrote: post #2

> Our first product is an iOS app designed to help you capture the best moments in your life I have increasingly come to the belief that mediating our life experiences and social interactions through apps isn't good for us. Your website "Matter" [1], to be honest, seems completely dystopian to me and an indication of all that's wrong with the relationship between technology and society. [1] https://matter.xyz/

[deleted]

Re: You can't leak users' data if you don't hold it

#48

Post by [deleted] »

forgotmyinfo wrote: post #4

What happens when Matter gets acquired? I'm sorry, but all this self back-patting is a bit too little too late for this jaded guy, especially because a thousand other companies have made the same promises in cheery blog posts, before something happens and my social security number winds up on a sticky note on some hacker's monitor in Belarus. Hell, I've worked for companies where I was forced to break users' trust be…

[deleted]

Re: You can't leak users' data if you don't hold it

#50

Post by stvltvs »

filleduchaos wrote: post #40
abound wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure about GP, but I did read the post. If they get acquired, I don't see anything stopping the acquirer from pushing an update that decrypts stuff and sends the plaintext to the servers.

I'm rather baffled at this level of nitpicking. Yes, if the software was being written by completely different people with completely different goals they might then start to acquire user data but what does that have to do with the point (that data this team and this management don't have cannot be leaked)?

I don't track management changes for the apps I use because who has the time? How can we protect ourselves against a malicious company changing their tech behind the scenes?
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