This is why you shouldn't use most Google services, specifically, Android:
Google developer admits to remotely changing phone settings for thousands of users
@cfenollosa What I find quite interesting is the tone deafness of some of the commenters who either
a) perhaps trying to help suggested you could try to 'run x' or 'configure y' to block such remote control without thought as to why that isn't default, or
b) said essentially "what's the big deal Google owns Android they can do what they want and you should expect it"
Those are the type of clueless people who make software in the 'valley which is very troublesome.
@cfenollosa
There's scandals of that magnitude on both Android and iOS. What options do I have then?
@sproid I personally think that Apple is way more trustable than google with my data. But sure, it’s the lesser of two evils.
@cfenollosa
Trust is key word. I would give my SS to google than to Apple. That's how much I do not trust Apple and its business practices. And that's understanding the seriousness of Google's lack of privacy. Although both claims the info is aggregated.
This website basically tells you what Apple claims but in practice it's 2 sides of the same coin of information gathering and selling for ads revenue.
https://usat.ly/2qzj4t9
@sproid I don’t think that from this article you can derive an argument that apple has the same practices as google. However, as you said, different users trust different business models :)
Sincerely hope there was an openbsd-like alternative for phones, including hardware. Unfortunately we can’t trust even the chip fabs. We’re in for more turmoil and privacy scandals in the future, that’s for sure.
@cfenollosa
Well not the same but at leat both #Apple & #Google: collects aggregated data, feeds back to cohorts, sell advertisement according to what they gather about us, collects gps info, search history, patterns of use of apps and services, emoji use, the best QuickType suggestions and energy consumption rates in Safari, music, books, type of news we consume, etc. To me it's 2 sides of the same coin.
@sproid We won't probably agree on our perecption of bad practices, but look, here's an interesting discussion in HN today :)
@cfenollosa
Well what I wrote previously comes from the article I cited that in terms comes from Apple's own statements. So there's little room for opinion if it comes from #Apple itself. And those practices are not so privacy friendly.
@sproid But I don't understand. The article you linked, which collects Apple's own statements on privacy, actually reinforces the fact that they hace much better privacy practices than Google. Why do you say both companies are comparable then?
@cfenollosa
At the beginning of the article appears the Claims Apple is better at privacy, then after half the article they start listing all the non-privacy friendly practices I copied from the article. So in essence Apple is doing what it knows best: not acknowledging its faults. One thing is the "claim" Apple is better at privacy, but in practice your data is being mined to almost the same extent as Google.
@cfenollosa
The conversation you linked also have the claims Apple has better privacy practices but does not give proof to back it up. Is mostly conjecture. And almost no one point out the things Apple IS doing that are not privacy friendly. That way the opinion Apple is better at privacy is reinforce over and over again without convergent literature.
@sproid I think you have the charge of proof backwards. It is proven that google has bad privacy practices. There is no evidence that Apple does. You say that Apple does, and that “there is no proof they don’t”. The reasoning should be the other way around.
In any case, I don’t feel like defending Apple any further, there’s nothing in there for me. Thanks for a very fruitful discussion!
@cfenollosa
Happened to me yesterday.