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One of the more insidious things Google has done here is that they force you to use the Firebase SDK to implement Cloud Messaging / Push Notifications. This SD

One of the more insidious things Google has done here is that they force you to use the Firebase SDK to implement Cloud Messaging / Push Notifications. This SDK has "Google Analytics for Firebase" enabled by default, and they use dark patterns to make it seem like having Analytics enabled is required: https://imgur.com/a/Nk2KhFo https://imgur.com/a/Nk2KhFo Of course, if you do enable analytics, then Google sucks up your customer data (including in-app purchase behavior!) for their own data collection and advertising purposes. Also, you're required to tell your users this is happening, but of course developers don't know this. (More dark patterns in how Google reveals that they steal your analytics data for themselves: https://imgur.com/a/R0K71Zn https://imgur.com/a/R0K71Zn)

risyachka 6y ago
As far as I know to add Analytics to your mobile project you need to explicitly do that in Android studio or Xcode. Enabling it in your project like you show on the screen does basically nothing as long as you don't have analytics SDK in your app.
- fcm_throwaway 6y ago
  When you go to add the SDK, Analytics gets added by default. The setup flow makes it seem to be required. But also the previous screens (when creating a Firebase account) appear to imply that Cloud Messaging won't work correctly without analytics. https://imgur.com/a/Fl919Wm https://imgur.com/a/Fl919Wm
  - risyachka 6y ago
    > For an optimal experience with Firebase Cloud Messaging, we recommend enabling Google Analytics in your project This is stated right before the steps you show. Only the one who doesn't read will blindly add analytics.
walterbell 6y ago
Is there a review/reputation database for APIs & SDKs, where this type of information can be syndicated to developers? Can also be distributed via doc browsers like Dash, e.g. if censored from the web.
- judge2020 6y ago
  Why would it be censored?
  - walterbell 6y ago
    If a vendor uses dark patterns in API/SDK configuration, they may not be happy about light falling on said patterns. This would be a "vendor documentation annotation" service not controlled by vendor.

risyachka 6y ago

As far as I know to add Analytics to your mobile project you need to explicitly do that in Android studio or Xcode. Enabling it in your project like you show on the screen does basically nothing as long as you don't have analytics SDK in your app.

fcm_throwaway 6y ago
When you go to add the SDK, Analytics gets added by default. The setup flow makes it seem to be required. But also the previous screens (when creating a Firebase account) appear to imply that Cloud Messaging won't work correctly without analytics. https://imgur.com/a/Fl919Wm https://imgur.com/a/Fl919Wm
- risyachka 6y ago
  > For an optimal experience with Firebase Cloud Messaging, we recommend enabling Google Analytics in your project This is stated right before the steps you show. Only the one who doesn't read will blindly add analytics.

walterbell 6y ago

Is there a review/reputation database for APIs & SDKs, where this type of information can be syndicated to developers? Can also be distributed via doc browsers like Dash, e.g. if censored from the web.

judge2020 6y ago
Why would it be censored?
- walterbell 6y ago
  If a vendor uses dark patterns in API/SDK configuration, they may not be happy about light falling on said patterns. This would be a "vendor documentation annotation" service not controlled by vendor.