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New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

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Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#71

Post by sidibe »

IanCal wrote: post #27
northerdome wrote: post #10

Honestly tired of Europe pretending like they are so high and mighty for flagging tech companies for "privacy violations." Frankly it's insulting to say that adults cannot decide for themselves how they want their data used. At this point, users know if you turn on Google tracks you. It is worth it to many for the convenience of quality results Google delivers. If it isn't turn it off. But to say it is Google's fault…

GDPR/etc. absolutely deliver on this: > Frankly it's insulting to say that adults cannot decide for themselves how they want their data used All those laws really push is you have to actually let people know what you're using the data for, ask if you can (so that they're able to decide) and make sure you take care of it. It doesn't say you can't decide for yourself, it just makes it an actual decision.

GDPR does not allow you to trade services in return for using your data for ads. A website can't deny you service if you opt out of tracking, so EU has decided that business model should not be viable even if both parties agree.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#72

Post by hadrien01 »

sborra wrote: post #19

Google Maps works just fine with the GPS from my phone's sensors, but _every single time_ I bring up the app, it asks me to enable device location and Google Location Services. I stubbornly (and maybe foolishly) keep opting out of every Google tracking option, it's crazy how annoying they are if you do this.

I refuse every time, but the message is made to look like GPS is disabled. Definitely a dark pattern.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#73

Post by pnutjam »

levesque wrote: post #36
paganel wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> so it won't let you (...) set a home address That's a feature for me.

It's pretty useful when you use your phone a lot for navigation / GPS. Saves you a bunch of time, but true it does have the cost of letting Google know where you live (although there are so many other ways for them to get that information that I'm not worried about that part).

I keep all my addresses as "starred" I don't set anything as home or work. I figure it will protect from a cursory db search, but anyone interested can figure out both trivially.

What pisses me off is that everytime I turn on my phone gps it defaults to "high accuracy" mode which scans all the wifi ap's around, among other things. I have to manually set it to gps chip only every time.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#74

Post by corint »

gdulli wrote: post #39
sborra wrote: post #19

Google Maps works just fine with the GPS from my phone's sensors, but _every single time_ I bring up the app, it asks me to enable device location and Google Location Services. I stubbornly (and maybe foolishly) keep opting out of every Google tracking option, it's crazy how annoying they are if you do this.

This happens to me too, various opt-in nags on both desktop and mobile. Using google maps has become a chore for me. I used to like going to the site or the app and browsing around for fun to learn about a new place. Now I only use it when I absolutely need to.

I'm now trying to use OSMAnd wherever possible. If there's a location I can't use it to find, I'll revert to Google Maps (and click 'no' to the opt in nag). When home, I'll make sure to update OpenStreetMap to make their map more useful.

I'm convinced that open data is the better option. Certainly, I'm happy to volunteer my time and effort to contribute to things like OSM (and Wikipedia), but I'm loathe to part with my personal data for 'free' to a huge advertising behemoth.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#76

Post by AlexandrB »

ThomPete wrote: post #15

I for one are happy to be tracked so that my experience is optimal. Edit: I understand the potential issues and especially with someone like Google using it for other things. But I am more concerned about the backlash against using data to improve our world. There are many different areas which would be improved greatly from more data and would be to everyone's benefit. Personally I have always shared as much as I ca…

Good for you. If you ever change your mind, you'll realize that you don't really have a choice in the matter anyway.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#77

Post by kissickas »

levesque wrote: post #4

I tried using Google Maps without search history turned on. It's basically a downgraded version. They tied saving locations with the search history, so it won't let you search for friends' contacts, set a home address, etc. Is it on purpose? I don't know, but I find it weird that they would tie some unrelated features together. Why does setting a Home address require search history?

It's very stupid to me, just as a policy, and I would love if someone could explain it to me. I would understand completely if they didn't let users view traffic data or have their routing done based on traffic data if they don't share their location; don't put in your data, you don't get to take advantage of the rest of the dataset. But tying two unrelated features together like this is confusing, aggressive, and downright illogical as far as I can tell.

I think they would get back a good amount of goodwill if they did so, and would keep a large portion of the userbase on board without looking like (and being) assholes. Plenty of people use read receipts in WhatsApp, for example, in order to see others' read receipts.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#78

Post by aaaaaaaaaaab »

Whenever you tap a link in the iOS YouTube app, it starts nagging you to download Chrome, or continue with the old boring Safari... There's a pre-checked switch at the bottom of the dialog that says "Ask me which app to use every time". Now, even if you uncheck the switch and choose Safari, they will only let you off the hook for around a day; after this cooldown period you're "offered" to download Chrome yet again, ad nauseam!

Just a gut feeling, but I think if I had installed Chrome once, they would never show me this dialog again... :)

Seriously Googlers, how do you look into the mirror each morning?

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#79

Post by dredmorbius »

burkaman wrote: post #47
baxtr wrote: post #3

"If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place." Eric Schmidt, 2009

Also Eric Schmidt: https://money.cnn.com/2005/08/05/technology/google_cnet/

Quote: Google Inc. has blacklisted all CNET reporters for a year, after the popular technology news website published personal information of one of Google's founders in a story about growing privacy concerns for the Internet search engine, according to a CNET statement.

CNET on Friday reported "Google representatives have instituted a policy of not talking with CNET News reporters until July 2006 in response to privacy issues raised by a previous story." That story, by reporter Elinor Mills ran under the headline "Google balances privacy, reach."

Google spokesman David Krane told CNN the company declined comment.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#80

Post by itronitron »

benschulz wrote: post #14
baxtr wrote: post #3

"If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place." Eric Schmidt, 2009

This attitude makes me so off the charts angry, I struggle to put it into words. I think Jews in Germany in the 1920s didn't think they were doing anything wrong, or feel a need to actively hide it.

Schmidt's attitude shows just how much Google thinks it owns the internet. There is so much data out there that people can live in relative anonymity online (95% of bloggers) however Google crawls and indexes so much that many things become quite easy to find. All the tracking and linking and indexing that is done without a person's informed consent makes that person's intentional behavior a warped spotlight back on them.
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