While they should be treated the same way as Facebook, I think there are differences. Facebook was told to remove their VPN app and they just renamed it and used their enterprise certificate to get round this. They knew fine well what they were doing. Google have always distributed this app using this certificate as far as I know. They never had the app removed and then tried to get round their punishment.
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Google Also Exploiting Enterprise Certificates to Bypass iOS App Store for Data Collection [Update: Disabled]
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Agreed.
But I don't think Apple will kick out developers that would hurt iPhone sales.
So Apple joined the NSA shortly after Tim Cook became CEO.
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Yep.
It may be normal behavior for Apple. Apple may have chosen to deflect their decision to collect data for the NSA in 2012 by using the data collected by Google. It is called plausible deniability.
Apple was notified about the FaceTime bug one week before it became mainstream news.
See my comment above regarding Apple’s collaboration with the NSA.
You may want to reconsider your stance. Do you believe it is purely a coincidence that Apple chooses to collaborate with the NSA and at the same time Apple issues an enterprise certificate to Google without knowing how Google might use it?
FaceBook is just a whipping boy.
I know only one good example (in this case the Amazon/Whole Foods App): they collect the data where you shop and when you decide to buy what. That allows them to decide what the maximum price point for goods is before you decide to stop buying and drive to a different store that's farther away. This way they can maximize the prices for all of us even if only 10% use the app.
I'm sure in the Facebook data sets is similar information. You can decide at what price point in what regions of the US the teens start and stop purchasing. That allow you to decide where to open stores, how much to charge for stuff, what goods to stock, what the highest price point for services and goods are before you lose the customers.
This is valuable information and not really that nefarious. It's just optimizing profit. I'm sure there are also more evil uses like how can you drive people into taking high interest loans and such.
We need an honest capitalist to create OS and services that does not pry on people's privacy and people will no longer need FaceBook or Google.There is still no real alternative for YouTube or Instagram. Also Android is your only other option than an iPhone.
I think its okay to gather anonymous data but to have a profile and full history of each user's interaction is sick.
There are others who saved the day like Mozilla with FireFox and ProtonMail. Unfortunately linux is still not a reliable alternative to Windows and MacOS. In the sense that, its not really even competing, its just an option.
I think its okay to gather anonymous data but to have a profile and full history of each user's interaction is sick.
There are others who saved the day like Mozilla with FireFox and ProtonMail. Unfortunately linux is still not a reliable alternative to Windows and MacOS. In the sense that, its not really even competing, its just an option.
There are some number of folks out there that would happily sell their kidney to make a buck.
I can't believe this was a real video. What kind of corporation would put out this crap??
"Hey idiots, we'll send you a device so we can snoop on your Wi-Fi. Don't worry, it's to improve our products and services so we can make more money. Lol, idiots."
"Hey idiots, we'll send you a device so we can snoop on your Wi-Fi. Don't worry, it's to improve our products and services so we can make more money. Lol, idiots."
Here’s Part 1 in a continuing series by Patrick Berlinquette about how Goophabet “monetizes users’ data”, written in plain, easily understandable language. How anyone could read this series and still use Goophabet is beyond me!
https://medium.com/s/story/the-complete-unauthorized-checklist-of-how-google-tracks-you-3c3abc10781d
https://medium.com/s/story/the-complete-unauthorized-checklist-of-how-google-tracks-you-3c3abc10781d
Why would lawmakers put an end to this? The corporations are funneling this data to the federal government.
If the company doesn't get it after two strikes then they deserve to be forcibly removed from society for violating user privacy and security protections. This should apply equally to all. Just because something is big doesn't mean it should get a pass. This is why corporations get away with so much crap. It's BS. They need to be knocked down a few pegs and brought in line. There are repercussions for devious actions! They will be punished! Once there is precedent for companies being taken out back and beaten for treating customers like garbage, companies will fall in line and troublemakers will be few.
Update: Google has issued an apology and has disabled its Screenwise Meter app on iOS devices. "The Screenwise Meter iOS app should not have operated under Apple's developer enterprise program -- this was a mistake and we apologize. We have disabled this app on iOS devices. This app is completely voluntary and always has been. We've been upfront with users about the way we use their data in this app, and we have no access to encrypted data in apps and on devices, and users can opt out of the program at any time."
Article Link: Google Also Exploiting Enterprise Certificates to Bypass iOS App Store for Data Collection [Update: Disabled]
DON'T BE EVIL? ARE YOU KIDDING ME GOOGLE? SO DIRTY!
All these tech companies are "evil" in some fashion. You have decide what "evilness" you are willing to live with.
That is no longer a part of Google's code of conduct. Which exclusion should be taken at exactly face value.
https://gizmodo.com/google-removes-nearly-all-mentions-of-dont-be-evil-from-1826153393
People also may not understand the implications of what they are allowing. They either may not read all the fine print, or it may contain a lot of technical language that they just aren't capable of understanding. It's perfectly acceptable for Apple to put policies in place to protect users. Especially since Apple gets sued for not doing enough to protect (thwhy were already sued!).
Is that any different than the government putting laws in place to protect citizens from things that might be legal to do, but unfair or undesirable results coukd occur?)
Facebook and Google - are they attacking CHILDREN?
Facebook said today that the participants have given consent but can a 13-year-old kid give consent to selling their privacy?
The parents consented.
Allegedly.
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Honestly, the NSA isn't interested in tracking kids.
What interest do they have in knowing that Pokemon Go is waning in popularity, and that kids prefer grape-flavored e-cigs?
I'm agreeing with you. But tell somebody their iPhone doesn't have any app from Facebook while the phone sitting next to it does. I'm sure Apple doesn't want that.
It’s about building profiles. Data that seems innocuous today could easily come back to haunt you in the future.
I think there is a sane, middle ground somewhere between the extremes of intentionally installing Facebook spyware on your phone and living like the Unabomber in a remote cabin without running water or electricity. To me that sane middle ground involves using a free search engine that doesn't track my searches and using a VPN that cost me a couple bucks per month. However, if you prefer to live like the Unabomber, go for it. Just don't mail me any packages
I think there is a sane, middle ground somewhere between the extremes of intentionally installing Facebook spyware on your phone and living like the Unabomber in a remote cabin without running water or electricity. To me that sane middle ground involves using a free search engine that doesn't track my searches and using a VPN that cost me a couple bucks per month. However, if you prefer to live like the Unabomber, go for it. Just don't mail me any packages
I think the middle ground is to understand technology and identify the pros/cons.
The DDG founder has a shady past life. DDG previously has been caught with cookie tracking which they have rectified since. When you use DDG, they send a load of tracking pixels with information. They say none of it is confidential but who knows how they are processing a user server side.
Next, VPNs can and probably log your traffic encrypted or unencrypted. In most cases, you will never find out unless the feds raid the VPN provider. The appeal of VPNs are that they don’t store the logs, or so they say.
At the end of the day it’s all about trust here, and how much you believe or are OK with what companies say.
I missed that story last year. I did not realize they had taken it out of their code of conduct. Thanks for posting the link.
But try telling FaceBook or Google that they just lost access to the entire iOS market. Maybe they will call Apples bluff but is it worth the risk to get a temp ban vs collecting a little more info? If Apple really wants to spend its PR and ad dollars wisely they need to get people to understand fundamentally why what these companies are doing is wrong and what they are doing to protect them. I work at a university and I talk to freshmen and they have no expectation of privacy. They were born into a world with their parents posting them to the internet at a young age and they just expect that the internet knows them as well as their mom or best friend because it has always existed to collect data about them. It’s normal. They don’t understand why that is weird or the problems that can arise from this. It’s truly sad and disheartening because they have no freaking idea and just accept it.