5 ms·

> Uber plans to snoop on users' locations and contacts all the time. Uber has the technical possibility to do this because its app is nonfree: it is controlled

by wicket 10y ago

> Uber plans to snoop on users' locations and contacts all the time. Uber has the technical possibility to do this because its app is nonfree: it is controlled by Uber, not by the user. In addition, snooping depends on a nonfree operating system. > Uber requires customers to run a nonfree program (an app). > The Uber app requires running other nonfree software (in the case of Android, Google Play). These points are not strictly true. Uber may be used via the web interface [1] which can of course be used on a free operating system. [1] https://m.uber.com https://m.uber.com

bo1024 10y ago
Wow, thanks for the heads up! I might try out deleting the app, using the browser site and manually entering my location from now on. Although it still keeps data on your rides and you still can't pay cash, so it's definitely not a Stallman solution.
zanny 10y ago
I believe there is consensus in the FSF that a proprietary website is still unethical because you are downloading and executing their page on your local machine, and many websites use techniques to obfuscate the implementation of the page you are on, or hide its functionality behind server side proprietary services.
- ikeboy 10y ago
  You can also use https://developer.uber.com/docs/riders/ride-requests/introduction https://developer.uber.com/docs/riders/ride-requests/introdu... to build an entirely open-source uber client, if I understand their api correctly.
- wicket 10y ago
  I don't disagree, nor do I think Uber is entirely ethical. I was merely pointing out a few inaccuracies with RMS's assertions: - Uber cannot snoop on users' locations all of the time if they use the web interface. - Uber does not have access to the contacts of web interface users. - The web interface does not depend on the use of a nonfree operating system. - Uber does not require customers to run a nonfree program (app). I've not actually checked to see if the web interface uses nonfree Javascript but the API is open so it should be possible to create a free Uber client. RMS doesn't seem to mind about the software running on the servers as it doesn't directly affect customers. - The Uber app itself may require running other nonfree software however the Uber app is not required to use Uber's services.

by wicket 10y ago

bo1024 10y ago

Wow, thanks for the heads up! I might try out deleting the app, using the browser site and manually entering my location from now on. Although it still keeps data on your rides and you still can't pay cash, so it's definitely not a Stallman solution.

zanny 10y ago

I believe there is consensus in the FSF that a proprietary website is still unethical because you are downloading and executing their page on your local machine, and many websites use techniques to obfuscate the implementation of the page you are on, or hide its functionality behind server side proprietary services.

ikeboy 10y ago
You can also use https://developer.uber.com/docs/riders/ride-requests/introduction https://developer.uber.com/docs/riders/ride-requests/introdu... to build an entirely open-source uber client, if I understand their api correctly.
wicket 10y ago
I don't disagree, nor do I think Uber is entirely ethical. I was merely pointing out a few inaccuracies with RMS's assertions: - Uber cannot snoop on users' locations all of the time if they use the web interface. - Uber does not have access to the contacts of web interface users. - The web interface does not depend on the use of a nonfree operating system. - Uber does not require customers to run a nonfree program (app). I've not actually checked to see if the web interface uses nonfree Javascript but the API is open so it should be possible to create a free Uber client. RMS doesn't seem to mind about the software running on the servers as it doesn't directly affect customers. - The Uber app itself may require running other nonfree software however the Uber app is not required to use Uber's services.