6 ms·

So, basically Android? Except, you don't get shot in the back. With Android, it automatically syncs Contacts and photos to the "Cloud", unless you disable it. B

by fluxem 9y ago

So, basically Android? Except, you don't get shot in the back. With Android, it automatically syncs Contacts and photos to the "Cloud", unless you disable it. But, you cannot do it 100%, because it's turn on by default when you first sign in. Also, it's not a secret that Google logs your locations history.

cyphar 9y ago
As an aside, not all Android ROMs operate in that way. I'm currently using OmniROM with microG, and none of my information is linked to a Google account (specifically on this phone). All of my contacts and calendar are synced with my NextCloud server using DAVDroid, and I use AOSP or other FDroid-approved apps to access my email, contacts and calendar. Now, all of that being said that's not to say that the current state of affairs is good (and there's still plenty of other problems) but it's disingenuous to ignore that you have a choice with Android and you don't in North Korea.
- cryptarch 9y ago
  You have a choice here if you're tech savy and a ROM is available for your specific baseband. I've so far been unlucky with my S6 because I have a rather obscure baseband. I'm not saying it's anywhere near as bad as living in NK, but the "open" option is not at all known or available to what I'd estimate at 95+% of the population, and many fewer will actually use it.
  - cyphar 9y ago
    Don't get me wrong, the "open" option is complete shit at the moment. The fact that Replicant (and _actually_ free Android distribution) supports so few devices (and has so many caveats) is horrifying. There is effectively no way to use a modern smartphone and also exercise your software freedoms.
ioulian 9y ago
I don't fully understand that this comment is downvoted. He has a point there. We are all being tracked, just see your history [1] on the google website. It tracks the websites you've visited, the video's you've watched, music I've played, things I've searched, App's I've used (Camera for example), directions I've searched (google maps), ads I've seen, cards in my feed (google now), my location history (actually very cool and very scary)... There are probably a LOT more metadata they have on me that I don't know I mean, they have a LOT of my data, they know probably more about me that I know about myself. Of course we aren't blocked for using any apps or viewing files, but they know that we are using and viewing the apps/files. I think it's in their best interests not to block anything, as this way they get a lot of information they otherwise would not get. You can compare the "my activity" with "Trace Viewer". It's just a matter of perspective. Don't get me wrong, I don't approve the NK way of blocking everything, but the tracking of the data happens in the West already too and we just "accept" it. [1] https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity
- dingaling 9y ago
  The difference being that an informed Android user can disable all that logging, or at the very least prevent it being relayed to Google. I don't even have a Google account yet have four fully-functional Android devices nearby. The penalty for attempting that with the North Korean tablet is going to be rather more severe than "can't say OK Google to do a web search".
  - Heliosmaster 9y ago
    I don't disagree with you, but i think that technically we're still trusting Google to not collect it anymore. I don't see it anything other than "Please google do not track this". Are we able to verify 100% that data is still not being collected?
    - Kluny 9y ago
      You use a packet sniffer to see all your local network traffic and make sure you can account for every request.
stewbrew 9y ago
Not sure why you single out Android since most "modern" commercial OS send data home in order to develop predictions about it's user. In the western world, it's called assistance. Android/Google at least give you a hint and some control over what kind of information is being collected.
- swiley 9y ago
  I think it's because android is supposed to be open, so it's supposed to do this the least.
a_imho 9y ago
Too true. Shows how long a bit of marketing goes.
marssaxman 9y ago
This is why I never enter any google account credentials into an Android phone.

by fluxem 9y ago

cyphar 9y ago

As an aside, not all Android ROMs operate in that way. I'm currently using OmniROM with microG, and none of my information is linked to a Google account (specifically on this phone). All of my contacts and calendar are synced with my NextCloud server using DAVDroid, and I use AOSP or other FDroid-approved apps to access my email, contacts and calendar. Now, all of that being said that's not to say that the current state of affairs is good (and there's still plenty of other problems) but it's disingenuous to ignore that you have a choice with Android and you don't in North Korea.

cryptarch 9y ago
You have a choice here if you're tech savy and a ROM is available for your specific baseband. I've so far been unlucky with my S6 because I have a rather obscure baseband. I'm not saying it's anywhere near as bad as living in NK, but the "open" option is not at all known or available to what I'd estimate at 95+% of the population, and many fewer will actually use it.
- cyphar 9y ago
  Don't get me wrong, the "open" option is complete shit at the moment. The fact that Replicant (and _actually_ free Android distribution) supports so few devices (and has so many caveats) is horrifying. There is effectively no way to use a modern smartphone and also exercise your software freedoms.

ioulian 9y ago

I don't fully understand that this comment is downvoted. He has a point there. We are all being tracked, just see your history [1] on the google website. It tracks the websites you've visited, the video's you've watched, music I've played, things I've searched, App's I've used (Camera for example), directions I've searched (google maps), ads I've seen, cards in my feed (google now), my location history (actually very cool and very scary)... There are probably a LOT more metadata they have on me that I don't know I mean, they have a LOT of my data, they know probably more about me that I know about myself. Of course we aren't blocked for using any apps or viewing files, but they know that we are using and viewing the apps/files. I think it's in their best interests not to block anything, as this way they get a lot of information they otherwise would not get. You can compare the "my activity" with "Trace Viewer". It's just a matter of perspective. Don't get me wrong, I don't approve the NK way of blocking everything, but the tracking of the data happens in the West already too and we just "accept" it. [1] https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity

dingaling 9y ago
The difference being that an informed Android user can disable all that logging, or at the very least prevent it being relayed to Google. I don't even have a Google account yet have four fully-functional Android devices nearby. The penalty for attempting that with the North Korean tablet is going to be rather more severe than "can't say OK Google to do a web search".
- Heliosmaster 9y ago
  I don't disagree with you, but i think that technically we're still trusting Google to not collect it anymore. I don't see it anything other than "Please google do not track this". Are we able to verify 100% that data is still not being collected?
  - Kluny 9y ago
    You use a packet sniffer to see all your local network traffic and make sure you can account for every request.

stewbrew 9y ago

Not sure why you single out Android since most "modern" commercial OS send data home in order to develop predictions about it's user. In the western world, it's called assistance. Android/Google at least give you a hint and some control over what kind of information is being collected.

swiley 9y ago
I think it's because android is supposed to be open, so it's supposed to do this the least.

a_imho 9y ago

Too true. Shows how long a bit of marketing goes.

marssaxman 9y ago

This is why I never enter any google account credentials into an Android phone.