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Pixel sent to Google for replacement. They used it to post wife's nudes online

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Re: Pixel sent to Google for replacement. They used it to post wife's nudes online

#51

I'm sick of people, so I'm not going to read the inevitable comments that are going to come. Look, face it, some people like taking nude photos of themselves and they like sharing them with their partners. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. It's not their fault if something like this happens. People should be able to feel secure in the tech that they use, in the companies that they entrust their information…

>> I see it every time the topic comes up

I hear you, and agree wholeheartedly that there is "absolutely nothing wrong with this", but maybe if the topic keeps coming up, people should have less trust in the companies (and their respective flawed human supply chains) that keep our information.... and act accordingly. Unfortunately that's easier said than done these days.

Re: Pixel sent to Google for replacement. They used it to post wife's nudes online

#52

We need to educate people on how to secure the data on their phones so that even the manufacturer cannot reach it. And if that is not possible for a particular device, that should be clearly understood so people can make an informed choice about what smartphone they use. Can't just tell people 'do not put nudes on your phone' because while it's good advice, it misses the point. And, of course, whoever does something…

> how to secure the data on their phones so that even the manufacturer cannot reach it

If that were possible, the FBI would shut it down.

Re: Pixel sent to Google for replacement. They used it to post wife's nudes online

#53

Not here to victim blame, but just point out some things to help others in the future. 1. Use a password and encryption 2. If you can still turn on the device, wipe it before you send it off for an RMA. 3. If you can't access the device, login to your account online and remove access to it. You should do this even after you wipe it. 4. Save everything sensitive on removable storage medium by default.

These guys sent it in for RMA because it couldn't be turned on Also the photos were in the google account so none of this advice would have mattered anyway aside from the advice #4 about not doing it, which is moot. They and many people probably auto backup all photos on the device to the google account. Not sure if there is a way to distinguish which photos are too sensitive for online backup with that service.

It would have mattered because you can deauthorize a device from your Google account on a computer, like a phone and if they are saved locally as well you can remove SD card before sending it back. The only thing I'm unsure of is if thumbnails are saved in a standard image format but those should get removed as well during the notification that the device has stopped syncing, but if mobile data is turned off it may cache a few low res thumbnails.

Re: Pixel sent to Google for replacement. They used it to post wife's nudes online

#54

We need to educate people on how to secure the data on their phones so that even the manufacturer cannot reach it. And if that is not possible for a particular device, that should be clearly understood so people can make an informed choice about what smartphone they use. Can't just tell people 'do not put nudes on your phone' because while it's good advice, it misses the point. And, of course, whoever does something…

No. We don't need to "educate" people on how to magically dodge evil behavior.

We need to punish the evil behavior. Like you said in your last sentence.

Re: Pixel sent to Google for replacement. They used it to post wife's nudes online

#56
post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah this is yet another reason to want phones to have removable storage (micro sd card). So private photos can go onto the card instead of built-in storage, and you can remove the card if you have to send in the phone. I don't take nudes but I tend to use my phone as an impromptu photocopier for stuff like bills and receipts, so the photos are full of private info such as account numbers. I worry about that sometime…

I feel like removable SD card is a tech person solution but ... kinda doesn't solve it for a lot of folks. Most folks are just going to take nudes and not strategize much and expect them to remain private as part of the typical photo taking and sharing workflow.

> I feel like removable SD card is a tech person solution but...

As an older person, I find this observation very interesting.

Today, I would consider people in general to be much more technically knowledgeable compared to people 20+ years ago. And yet, 20 years ago, removable storage was quite common, and probably expected of most devices.

Re: Pixel sent to Google for replacement. They used it to post wife's nudes online

#57

This isn’t OP fault but it boggles my mind that people still use google products. How many times do companies like google and Facebook need to show that they don’t have your best interest at heart before you stop using their products? People won’t even buy genetically modified food but yet they have no problem shelling out thousands of dollars to authoritarian, surveillance centric parasites. Please stop.

Which phone tho? I don't have anything compatible with iOS so those are unusable. So, I get android. And nearly the only phones w/o crap-ware are Pixel or other Google Flagship. Advice?

Re: Pixel sent to Google for replacement. They used it to post wife's nudes online

#58

Not here to victim blame, but just point out some things to help others in the future. 1. Use a password and encryption 2. If you can still turn on the device, wipe it before you send it off for an RMA. 3. If you can't access the device, login to your account online and remove access to it. You should do this even after you wipe it. 4. Save everything sensitive on removable storage medium by default.

These guys sent it in for RMA because it couldn't be turned on Also the photos were in the google account so none of this advice would have mattered anyway aside from the advice #4 about not doing it, which is moot. They and many people probably auto backup all photos on the device to the google account. Not sure if there is a way to distinguish which photos are too sensitive for online backup with that service.

The photos coming out of the google account seems like the least-likely scenario by far.

Re: Pixel sent to Google for replacement. They used it to post wife's nudes online

#59

We need to educate people on how to secure the data on their phones so that even the manufacturer cannot reach it. And if that is not possible for a particular device, that should be clearly understood so people can make an informed choice about what smartphone they use. Can't just tell people 'do not put nudes on your phone' because while it's good advice, it misses the point. And, of course, whoever does something…

> how to secure the data on their phones so that even the manufacturer cannot reach it If that were possible, the FBI would shut it down.

Signal?

Re: Pixel sent to Google for replacement. They used it to post wife's nudes online

#60

I'm sick of people, so I'm not going to read the inevitable comments that are going to come. Look, face it, some people like taking nude photos of themselves and they like sharing them with their partners. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. It's not their fault if something like this happens. People should be able to feel secure in the tech that they use, in the companies that they entrust their information…

Yeah this is yet another reason to want phones to have removable storage (micro sd card). So private photos can go onto the card instead of built-in storage, and you can remove the card if you have to send in the phone. I don't take nudes but I tend to use my phone as an impromptu photocopier for stuff like bills and receipts, so the photos are full of private info such as account numbers. I worry about that sometime…

How about make it so that the "hidden" photos on a phone require a security code/biometric to access? I've always been shocked that this isn't the case with iOS (don't know Android), it seems so obvious and simple.
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