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This really doesn't concern me at all. I don't feel I am harmed by Google possibly knowing what software I install, because if anyone wants to look I keep the s

This really doesn't concern me at all. I don't feel I am harmed by Google possibly knowing what software I install, because if anyone wants to look I keep the script that installs it in my public dotfile repo on GitHub. Can anyone explain to me how this could be used against someone? I'm asking completely seriously as I don't see any harm in this no matter how hard I try. Edit: I do agree that the notice should be more visible for those that are concerned about this. It should require user input even if it is just waiting for a key press to give you a chance to read it along with info on how to opt out.

jakobegger 10y ago
Oh... so you're installing Tor? And a Bitcoin client? You're starting to look a lot like a drug dealer. Let's send a SWAT team and confiscate all your stuff just to make sure.
blub 10y ago
It harms everyone because it's one more actor trying to make collection of data look normal, as can be seem from the multiple misguided posts wondering why this is a problem. It's not normal that software is sending data to some server somwhere by itself by default. Devs used to have some decency and left this opt-in. They see there's little push-back and they're making it opt-out. Almost all mobile apps and a significant number of desktop apps have analytics now.
yoo1I 10y ago
> Can anyone explain to me how this could be used against someone? I'm asking completely seriously as I don't see any harm in this no matter how hard I try. This is called the "nothing to hide" argument. If you currently have no foes and are generally closer to the elite of a society than to the margins, then these few little data points collected on you (pseudo-anonymously or not) cannot really hurt your. But as your digital shadow grows (and with google analytics et al being used to extensively, it certainly is) and you drift to the margins of society, possibly developing some foes in the elites in the process, the information about you that is now available to people in power becomes more threatening for you. Say, you're now a black, female, delivery driver in Detroit instead of a Silicon Valley software engineer. Once you give cause for scrutiny, say, a conflict with your employer, the digital shadow of data-points can be searched to find anything that, taken out of context or not, can be used against you. Or, put differently in famous exaggeration by Cardinal Richelieu: If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest of men, I will find something in them which will hang him.
Nursie 10y ago
Oh hey, you're using foomaker version 1.6? I picked up a great exploit for that earlier!
jakebasile 10y ago
I can no longer edit my comment, but thanks for the examples given. I'm not sure if it's changed my views but I think I understand where the anger is coming from and I have something to think about when things like this come up.

jakobegger 10y ago

Oh... so you're installing Tor? And a Bitcoin client? You're starting to look a lot like a drug dealer. Let's send a SWAT team and confiscate all your stuff just to make sure.

blub 10y ago

It harms everyone because it's one more actor trying to make collection of data look normal, as can be seem from the multiple misguided posts wondering why this is a problem. It's not normal that software is sending data to some server somwhere by itself by default. Devs used to have some decency and left this opt-in. They see there's little push-back and they're making it opt-out. Almost all mobile apps and a significant number of desktop apps have analytics now.

yoo1I 10y ago

> Can anyone explain to me how this could be used against someone? I'm asking completely seriously as I don't see any harm in this no matter how hard I try. This is called the "nothing to hide" argument. If you currently have no foes and are generally closer to the elite of a society than to the margins, then these few little data points collected on you (pseudo-anonymously or not) cannot really hurt your. But as your digital shadow grows (and with google analytics et al being used to extensively, it certainly is) and you drift to the margins of society, possibly developing some foes in the elites in the process, the information about you that is now available to people in power becomes more threatening for you. Say, you're now a black, female, delivery driver in Detroit instead of a Silicon Valley software engineer. Once you give cause for scrutiny, say, a conflict with your employer, the digital shadow of data-points can be searched to find anything that, taken out of context or not, can be used against you. Or, put differently in famous exaggeration by Cardinal Richelieu: If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest of men, I will find something in them which will hang him.

Nursie 10y ago

Oh hey, you're using foomaker version 1.6? I picked up a great exploit for that earlier!

jakebasile 10y ago

I can no longer edit my comment, but thanks for the examples given. I'm not sure if it's changed my views but I think I understand where the anger is coming from and I have something to think about when things like this come up.