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I have mostly removed Google from my life. I still have a few stragglers (like Single Sign on stuff that for many sites are a pain in the ass to change) but it

I have mostly removed Google from my life. I still have a few stragglers (like Single Sign on stuff that for many sites are a pain in the ass to change) but it has been nice. However my biggest annoyance is still the amount of data that Google can find out about me where I have no control over it. - Emails to anyone using a Google service (I use iCloud) - Texting anyone using Android (I have a similar frustration with Facebook and anyone that shares their contacts with them) (This is one of the key reasons I love iMessage and I always have caution when I see a green bubble.) And similar data sharing I have absolutely no way to give consent for yet they still have, because someone else gave consent for me. My hope is that Google cannot manage to link that data back to me somehow, but I am sure they can. But it doesn't change that they have that data.

gloflo 7y ago
You are similarly sharing data on your contacts with Apple.
- ballenf 7y ago
  Comments like yours imply that no one cannot exist on the internet without sharing stuff with some company, so it doesn’t really matter which one you choose. Of course it matters. And of course one should remain vigilant to monitor the company of choice for changes in strategy or the like that might affect privacy claims. I don’t inherently trust Apple more than Google, but I do trust (begrudgingly) that Apple’s current business model aligns their interests on privacy better with mine.
  - beat 7y ago
    There's where the rubber hits the road, for me. Want total privacy? Stay off the internet. Way back in the dark ages of 1996 or so, I went to a very early web security conference. At that point, it wasn't really a profession. It was junior devs like me, schoolteachers, all sorts of people who had the job of "web security" cast upon them. And we all commiserated about getting the same marching orders... our bosses wanted absolute and total security, with absolute and totally unfettered access to the internet, and without spending any money at all. The consumer privacy discussion today reminds me so much of that era. Everyone wants unfettered access to the internet, without paying for it, and without anyone selling your data.
- nerdjon 7y ago
  To a certain degree yes, Apple theoretically has access to all of that data thanks to my iCloud Drive, Mac, iPhone, etc etc. Nearly all of my digital life happens on an Apple device. However they have shown that most of this happens on device instead of in the cloud, and they are not in the market of mining that data in order to build a profile that is used so a third party can sell me ads.
- hasthishappened 7y ago
  And? Have they ever sent an email to someone not on the service lying and saying, "so and so is trying to connect with you on <Apple Service>"? Have they ever harvested your contacts and then spammed them with ads for your service? Because Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. have. Backing your Contacts up to iCloud so they're on all your devices isn't remotely the same as apps like Facebook and LinkedIn slurping up your contacts for their own use and it's extremely disingenuous of you to imply it's the same thing.
t0astbread 7y ago
Are they legally allowed to make use of that kind of data?
- nerdjon 7y ago
  Honestly I wonder about that myself, but I don't know if it has ever been challenged. But I have no doubts that they do considering how often I see someone I recently gave my number to suddenly show as as a recommended friend on Facebook (who I do not allow that access)
DavideNL 7y ago
> - Emails to anyone using a Google service (I use iCloud) I found that the best thing you can do is try to convert the people you e-mail to most often (spouse, family, close friend) away from Google to some e-mail provider that values privacy. That way at least (maybe 50% of) your most private e-mails are safe from being analyzed/tracked/monetized :)

gloflo 7y ago

You are similarly sharing data on your contacts with Apple.

ballenf 7y ago
Comments like yours imply that no one cannot exist on the internet without sharing stuff with some company, so it doesn’t really matter which one you choose. Of course it matters. And of course one should remain vigilant to monitor the company of choice for changes in strategy or the like that might affect privacy claims. I don’t inherently trust Apple more than Google, but I do trust (begrudgingly) that Apple’s current business model aligns their interests on privacy better with mine.
- beat 7y ago
  There's where the rubber hits the road, for me. Want total privacy? Stay off the internet. Way back in the dark ages of 1996 or so, I went to a very early web security conference. At that point, it wasn't really a profession. It was junior devs like me, schoolteachers, all sorts of people who had the job of "web security" cast upon them. And we all commiserated about getting the same marching orders... our bosses wanted absolute and total security, with absolute and totally unfettered access to the internet, and without spending any money at all. The consumer privacy discussion today reminds me so much of that era. Everyone wants unfettered access to the internet, without paying for it, and without anyone selling your data.
nerdjon 7y ago
To a certain degree yes, Apple theoretically has access to all of that data thanks to my iCloud Drive, Mac, iPhone, etc etc. Nearly all of my digital life happens on an Apple device. However they have shown that most of this happens on device instead of in the cloud, and they are not in the market of mining that data in order to build a profile that is used so a third party can sell me ads.
hasthishappened 7y ago
And? Have they ever sent an email to someone not on the service lying and saying, "so and so is trying to connect with you on <Apple Service>"? Have they ever harvested your contacts and then spammed them with ads for your service? Because Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. have. Backing your Contacts up to iCloud so they're on all your devices isn't remotely the same as apps like Facebook and LinkedIn slurping up your contacts for their own use and it's extremely disingenuous of you to imply it's the same thing.

t0astbread 7y ago

Are they legally allowed to make use of that kind of data?

nerdjon 7y ago
Honestly I wonder about that myself, but I don't know if it has ever been challenged. But I have no doubts that they do considering how often I see someone I recently gave my number to suddenly show as as a recommended friend on Facebook (who I do not allow that access)

DavideNL 7y ago

> - Emails to anyone using a Google service (I use iCloud) I found that the best thing you can do is try to convert the people you e-mail to most often (spouse, family, close friend) away from Google to some e-mail provider that values privacy. That way at least (maybe 50% of) your most private e-mails are safe from being analyzed/tracked/monetized :)