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Can someone please explain to me how the collection of contact data is in any way legal under the GDPR and why Microsoft (Windows), Apple/Google haven't been re

Can someone please explain to me how the collection of contact data is in any way legal under the GDPR and why Microsoft (Windows), Apple/Google haven't been required to make changes to prevent abuse of this permission (such as selecting specific contacts). I'd also like to not know why if my contact data is shared, I am not informed of this. If my data is uploaded by Google to their servers, I should know. If somebody chooses to share my data with $app I should know, and, be able to "opt-out" of being included, perhaps (although it should be opt-in!) Being able to mass collect what is often the most sensitive information means that consistent data is now a liability; keeping the same number/email can be useful for cross-referencing. Ideally you should rotate what data you can (physical address/location is obviously extremely difficult). Everything else is possible (browsers/IP addresses/emails/User Agent strings, phone numbers etc etc) The best idea is to "troll" with your data; put insane items in your logged in basket (ebay/amazon etc), like sex toys. You can even make an order (and refund it) to further poison the well. Log in to Google and do some disgusting searches, and train algorithms to have the "wrong idea" about you, this is a reality we're now facing as this data can (and will) be used against you at any opportunity.

JCDenton2052 6y ago
The best idea is to not use their services. Switch from Windows to Linux, de-google and if you must use Android keep the data on your phone to a minimum.
djrogers 6y ago
> and why Microsoft (Windows), Apple/Google haven't been required to make changes I don't believe there's anything in the GDPR that gives it the ability to regulate entities several steps removed from the violations. If company A uses a posted letter to ask for PII then stores it in violation of the GDPR, would you then regulate the post office?
Nextgrid 6y ago
The data protection agencies who are given the power to enforce the GDPR are completely incompetent at doing so, or are corrupt and silently benefit from the status-quo. The web is filled with various dark patterns (and even companies whose entire business is to provide such dark patterns as a service) that would fall afoul of the GDPR, and yet nothing is being done. Google and Facebook - part of the most popular websites worldwide, and with business presence in all the major EU countries - have had a non-compliant cookie/tracking consent flow for over a year now and nothing is being done. If even blatantly obvious breaches (which would be trivial to litigate) are ignored, something more murky like Apple (a neutral third-party) merely providing a tool that can be used to violate the GDPR (but also can be used legitimately) has no chance of making any progress.

JCDenton2052 6y ago

The best idea is to not use their services. Switch from Windows to Linux, de-google and if you must use Android keep the data on your phone to a minimum.

djrogers 6y ago

> and why Microsoft (Windows), Apple/Google haven't been required to make changes I don't believe there's anything in the GDPR that gives it the ability to regulate entities several steps removed from the violations. If company A uses a posted letter to ask for PII then stores it in violation of the GDPR, would you then regulate the post office?

Nextgrid 6y ago

The data protection agencies who are given the power to enforce the GDPR are completely incompetent at doing so, or are corrupt and silently benefit from the status-quo. The web is filled with various dark patterns (and even companies whose entire business is to provide such dark patterns as a service) that would fall afoul of the GDPR, and yet nothing is being done. Google and Facebook - part of the most popular websites worldwide, and with business presence in all the major EU countries - have had a non-compliant cookie/tracking consent flow for over a year now and nothing is being done. If even blatantly obvious breaches (which would be trivial to litigate) are ignored, something more murky like Apple (a neutral third-party) merely providing a tool that can be used to violate the GDPR (but also can be used legitimately) has no chance of making any progress.