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We caught companies making it harder to delete your personal data online

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Re: We caught companies making it harder to delete your personal data online

#71
post #70

Google photos removed the delete api endpoint. Now, in order to delete your own photos from their service, you have to automate browser interactions that batch by batch delete your photos. I've just done this with both my wife's and my google photos accounts, and it took over 24 hours of browser interactions to fully delete everything. Ridiculous.

On a tangent, I don’t understand how Apple’s App Store allows the Google Photos app to insist on being given access to all photos on your device rather than selected photos to even work (even just to view photos shared elsewhere). Seems like an obvious violation of privacy and terms around not requiring unnecessary permissions. I think the app should be banned until they provide an option to gracefully respect users’ privacy settings rather than holding unrelated features hostage if they don’t get to spy on every photo on your device.

Re: We caught companies making it harder to delete your personal data online

#72
post #70

Google photos removed the delete api endpoint. Now, in order to delete your own photos from their service, you have to automate browser interactions that batch by batch delete your photos. I've just done this with both my wife's and my google photos accounts, and it took over 24 hours of browser interactions to fully delete everything. Ridiculous.

On a tangent, I don’t understand how Apple’s App Store allows the Google Photos app to insist on being given access to all photos on your device rather than selected photos to even work (even just to view photos shared elsewhere). Seems like an obvious violation of privacy and terms around not requiring unnecessary permissions. I think the app should be banned until they provide an option to gracefully respect users’…

The worst part is that you can’t even browse your photos on Google without giving full local library permissions. If you want to upload nothing and just see the old stuff, gotta give them content to train their models.

Re: We caught companies making it harder to delete your personal data online

#73

Of course you did. I've been submitting GDPR subject information requests to companies that spam me - and most of them ignore me. The ones that do take the time to reply usually say "We've deleted your personal data now", which is not at all what I want. I want to know what details they have about me, where they obtained it, and why they think spamming me is acceptable. I've got a folder where I keep printouts of the…

Er, you're going to file multiple small claims in the US against (suspected) firms outside the US? Be prepared to be disappointed. There is 0 evidence/elements of damage in the eyes of the archaic courts in this case, as you have no evidence of being damaged. You may be annoyed, but you're not at psychical or monetary risk due to the actions of another. I disagree^ with the above, we live in the future where comm-spa…

Steve is in GDPR land, according to his profile page.

Re: We caught companies making it harder to delete your personal data online

#74

Here's how the law should work. You own the data you produce, both intentionally (writing, making videos) and unintentionally ("metadata", logs). You have to explicitly give others permission to use that data for any purpose where money exchanges hands (and many where it does not). You can limit or revoke the permission at any time.

This is kind of the case. Under GDPR, the data can only be used for the specific purpose for which is was collected, unless explicit consent is obtained. Terms buried in contracts do not count as consent - a contract has to be clear about the purpose for collecting the data and why it is necessary to fulfil the contract, and using the data for any other purposes is illegal.

/me laughs in legitimate-interest

Re: We caught companies making it harder to delete your personal data online

#76
post #64

And as important: making it impossible or very hard and annoying to export and own your data.

we are in the upcoming golden age of browser automation this will stop being a problem

this is what i HOPE but it could play out in many different ways.
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