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I think these kind of practices get regulated. There is absolutely no need for apps like Photoshop to be constantly online and spy on users. I think it should b

I think these kind of practices get regulated. There is absolutely no need for apps like Photoshop to be constantly online and spy on users. I think it should be illegal for the application to stay online if there is no legitimate need for it, I also hope that GDPR legislation will be extended to apps, as it seems they can just pull as much personal data as they like without any user control.

laurent92 6y ago
That is an interesting take. Can law regulate which apps remain in the background, how many executables they install, how much data they are allowed to leave behind? Is this really desirable? The law would have to differentiate servers from desktops, for starters.
- varispeed 6y ago
  Well, that's something to debate, but I am sure this is getting out of hand. Now every application has some sort of Application Manager that requires computer to be online in order to enable access to the app (some require to be online once a week etc.) and these managers send who knows what to their servers. I think for starters it should be illegal to require user to install such managers in order to have access to their app or at very least give an option for offline authorisation. There is no reason for such apps to exist other than to spy on users.
Nextgrid 6y ago
GDPR technically does apply to apps, and in fact already covers what you're saying. The principle of "data minimisation" (https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/principles/data-minimisation/ https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protectio...) means you should only collect the minimum amount of data required for a particular purpose, so in theory an app shouldn't be able to spy on you and call home all the time for the purposes of software licensing when something much less intrusive can suffice. Similarly, there is no valid reason why you should be forced to sign into an account to uninstall a piece of software. In reality though, the GDPR is not being enforced seriously and the same organization linked above who is writing those guidelines is completely incompetent at actually enforcing them.
- varispeed 6y ago
  You see I would be happy to make GDPR complaint about some apps, but I don't want to lose access to them. I am sure if I started something like this, they would just remove access and some of those apps don't have alternatives.
m463 6y ago
unfortunately last I looked at the california CCPA, it only applied to companies with greater $25m in revenue AND at least half of the revenue was advertising. Don't know what the updated CCPA will change in 2 years.

laurent92 6y ago

That is an interesting take. Can law regulate which apps remain in the background, how many executables they install, how much data they are allowed to leave behind? Is this really desirable? The law would have to differentiate servers from desktops, for starters.

varispeed 6y ago
Well, that's something to debate, but I am sure this is getting out of hand. Now every application has some sort of Application Manager that requires computer to be online in order to enable access to the app (some require to be online once a week etc.) and these managers send who knows what to their servers. I think for starters it should be illegal to require user to install such managers in order to have access to their app or at very least give an option for offline authorisation. There is no reason for such apps to exist other than to spy on users.

Nextgrid 6y ago

GDPR technically does apply to apps, and in fact already covers what you're saying. The principle of "data minimisation" (https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/principles/data-minimisation/ https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protectio...) means you should only collect the minimum amount of data required for a particular purpose, so in theory an app shouldn't be able to spy on you and call home all the time for the purposes of software licensing when something much less intrusive can suffice. Similarly, there is no valid reason why you should be forced to sign into an account to uninstall a piece of software. In reality though, the GDPR is not being enforced seriously and the same organization linked above who is writing those guidelines is completely incompetent at actually enforcing them.

varispeed 6y ago
You see I would be happy to make GDPR complaint about some apps, but I don't want to lose access to them. I am sure if I started something like this, they would just remove access and some of those apps don't have alternatives.

m463 6y ago

unfortunately last I looked at the california CCPA, it only applied to companies with greater $25m in revenue AND at least half of the revenue was advertising. Don't know what the updated CCPA will change in 2 years.