Helping out a Vet...

[Ambrosia7177]

I literally teach college level cybersecurity and a number of other computer-related fields.

And you are on Facebook?

I've been trying to be as respectful as possible, and I will continue that effort, and try to stay on topic to the thread. It sounds like this guy asked you for help minimizing pop-ups and you took that as an opportunity to get on your soap box about data mining and the "surveillance state". I'm not claiming that you're entirely wrong, but you are definitely as far in the tin-foil hat direction as one can go on this topic.

Hardly "tinfoil hat" territory.

Big Tech steals people's information and then either sells it, profits off it, or uses it to addict people like there is no tomorrow.

Those are the hard facts.

In fact, a lot of current and former Big Tech employees admit it.

It's kind of like NOT caring about Covid-19 or Climate Change or a lot of other things... It's a free world, but why deny the obvious exists and is negatively impacting us?

And HE is the one who approached me about all of this - not the other way around.

If this guy shares your views and you are truly helping him with stuff that he feels he needs help with, then I'm in no place to argue. But if he truly just wants less pop-ups, I think you're pretty far from giving him the help he wants. Either way, good luck.

As I have said repeatedly, I am just giving him options. (I don't get commissions selling him anything.)

The next time I see him, he can tell me what he wants to do.

A new iPhone would be warrantied and last him for 7 more years. It would be easier to maintain and update, would be more secure, and add more privacy. And I think it would be way easier to use. It would also allow me to more easily support it (for free).

He can keep doing what he is doing and not like the results, or I can try and tweak some things on his phone and maybe that will help - although at the very least I think he should reinstall Android and start clean - or if he feels really gung-ho, then Apple has solutions to.

His decision, not mine.

I just provide options.


Tin-foil hat direction? Really????

 

[Night Spring]

(Do you realize how many mobile users don't even know what a browser is or how to use one??)

Oh, I know! The other day, my Mom asked something about Google Mail, and I asked if she was accessing it through the app or the browser, and she didn't know what a browser was. She didn't really know what an app was, either, she just kept repeating she's using Google. I was like, "so how do you get Google to come up on your iPad." She was like, "I just open my iPad and go to Google." "I know, HOW do you get to Google?"

I finally managed to get her to send me a picture of the icon she was tapping to open Google, turned out she was using the app.

 

[ayephoner]

Yes. Tinfoil hat territory. Do you think your views on the topic align with even 1% of smartphone users?

Caring about this topic and overreacting to it are very different things. It's good to be cautious, but unhealthy to be overly concerned with it (or anything for that matter).

Just to target one of your main points in this thread, here is an article on whether apps or browsers are safer.

Is it safer to use an app or a website on your phone?

We asked the experts, and share steps to be safer and more private online.

www.washingtonpost.com

There is not complete agreement on the subject from experts, especially depending on what browser you're using and what settings you use.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

Oh, I know! The other day, my Mom asked something about Google Mail, and I asked if she was accessing it through the app or the browser, and she didn't know what a browser was. She didn't really know what an app was, either, she just kept repeating she's using Google. I was like, "so how do you get Google to come up on your iPad." She was like, "I just open my iPad and go to Google." "I know, HOW do you get to Google?"

I finally managed to get her to send me a picture of the icon she was tapping to open Google, turned out she was using the app.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

OMG, I am so there with you!!

When I am out doing street interviews, I am amazed at home many college-kids don't know what a browser is or how to use one. Their whole world is click on pretty buttons and searching in the OS's search bar.

Of course I meet people of all ages across the U.S. that are like what you describe above.

Very, very sad... (But funny at the same time!)

I take so much for granted growing up using computers in the early 1980's and from the 1960's and up.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

Yes. Tinfoil hat territory. Do you think your views on the topic align with even 1% of smartphone users?

You're confusing terms...

Do I align with 1% of computer users? No!

Do I align with 1% of smartphone users? No!

Do I align with 1% of humans? No! (And thank God!)

Does that make me some paranoid, delusional, maniac? No!

In case you don't know, "Tinfoil hat" is a pejorative... And like all pejoratives, it doesn't exactly nurture relationships.

Caring about this topic and overreacting to it are very different things.

How am I overreacting?

"Passion" and "overreaching" are not the same thing.

It's good to be cautious, but unhealthy to be overly concerned with it (or anything for that matter).

That's pretty subjective...

And while I do constantly think about privacy and security, I don't live in fear like a lot of people who don't know anything about the topics.

I also get virtually ZERO junk mail, spam, and telemarketing calls. (In fact, sometimes it hurts my feelings that I don't get more spam.)

People who get pop-ups, online ads, junk mail, spam, and spam calls don't understand privacy. I do.

Just to target one of your main points in this thread, here is an article on whether apps or browsers are safer.

Is it safer to use an app or a website on your phone?

We asked the experts, and share steps to be safer and more private online.

www.washingtonpost.com

There is not complete agreement on the subject from experts, especially depending on what browser you're using and what settings you use.

I subscribe to the WP. There is nothing in that article that I don't know or which goes against what I would say.

In fact, the article actually backs up my general advice.

Choose the browser first, then an app if you have to. And if you choose an app, know your source and its motives.

Again, using a teleprompter app that I buy on the Apple Store is in a whole other category than using FoxNew's app which is free.

Why? Because FoxNews has different objectives than the one developer who makes my teleprompter app. And, because I don't need an account or have to provide any data to the teleprompter app, whereas FoxNews wants, well, you know...

I would also like to add that you are mixing the concepts of "security" and "privacy" - two very different beasts.

This vet approached me about privacy, and I have lots of different options depending on his appetite.


I welcome people who challenge me, and I enjoy debates on old-school forums like MacRumors. But don't be so quick to give me a label that isn't fair.

What I have more than most people is f-r-e-e-d-o-m because I'm not a slave to "the machine".

Different strokes... 😉

 

[ayephoner]

I welcome people who challenge me, and I enjoy debates on old-school forums like MacRumors. But don't be so quick to give me a label that isn't fair.

What I have more than most people is f-r-e-e-d-o-m because I'm not a slave to "the machine".

Different strokes... 😉

I wasn't trying to be unfair or insulting, just trying to express myself efficiently. I apologize if it came across any other way.

I mean, I have the freedom to use apps. Lol.

Good exchange. I don't want to delve any deeper, but I again wish you the best.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

I wasn't trying to be unfair or insulting, just trying to express myself efficiently. I apologize if it came across any other way.

I mean, I have the freedom to use apps. Lol.

Good exchange. I don't want to delve any deeper, but I again wish you the best.

Apology accepted.

 

[zapmymac]

•Check their carrier, they will have free/paid programs to assist in spam blocking.

•Instead of Safari, use Firefox Focus for the built in add blocking

•Add their number on the “do not call” federal registry.

• I’m running a 13 series and it works just fine.

• thoroughly go through the settings for privacy-first options