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Really interesting. But whether what Xiaomi browser does it's a spyware, what's is Google? Does Google collects our navigation data? (Yes if we are using chro

Really interesting. But whether what Xiaomi browser does it's a spyware, what's is Google? Does Google collects our navigation data? (Yes if we are using chrome or android and logged in) Does Google knows what videos and what kind of videos do we watch? (Do you need an answer?) Call it's a spyware because is a chinese company? Really? Nah. Google does the same or at least worst than it. I'm neither defending Xiami nor Google. The question is: almost every application does data collection. And if you call it as spyware, therefore every app which does data collection is a spyware.

jzebedee 6y ago
Yes, they are both spyware. Call a spade a spade.
EvilEy3 6y ago
What does Google have to do with Xiaomi spyware? Or Google being spyware somehow makes Xiaomi spyware less shitty?
- techrat 6y ago
  >What does Google have to do with Xiaomi spyware? False equivalence. If people in here actually broke down the differences, they would have to admit that their "Grr, Google just as bad!" hyperbole is more than just a tad disingenuous.
- Decker87 6y ago
  I think it comes down to which companies and governments are on the other end. I'm far from trusting the US government, but I trust the Chinese government even less.
  - guerrilla 6y ago
    I'm sure you have your reasons but for me I feel like I have nothing to worry about from China living permanently outside of their jurisdiction.
- _jal 6y ago
  There is a natural tendency to compare and contrast. And especially in cases where people are speculating about political motives, you're going to see that. > Or Google being spyware somehow makes Xiaomi spyware less shitty? Absolutely not, but both of them doing it defangs certain types of criticism.
dangwu 6y ago
They're definitely both spyware at this point. Shoutout to Firefox, which makes a conscious effort to block tracking cookies and not collect data.
- okl 6y ago
  By the grace of their benefactor (Google)?
  - Kelamir 6y ago
    Could you elaborate your point?
    - okl 6y ago
      Google pays a lot of money to Mozilla to be the default search provider in Firefox. This creates a conflict of interest. https://www.zdnet.com/article/sources-mozilla-extends-its-google-search-deal/ https://www.zdnet.com/article/sources-mozilla-extends-its-go...
    - neltnerb 6y ago
      Apologies for not finding citations, but as an example of... suspicious behavior... Firefox had a big campaign about blocking Facebook tracking with a big push to install an addon to reduce Facebook data collection. They did not do that with Google. That's the one that stood out to me as especially asymmetric, others may have other examples they remember. Don't get me wrong, Firefox is clearly the best of the options available. I use it all the time. But I'm also very aware that there is a bigger bias against Facebook (don't actually care since I don't go near it and block its javascript and cookies) than against Google. Of course, it's not obvious that this is Firefox's fault, Google is extremely good at finding probably-shouldn't-be-legal workarounds to just about any attempt to retain privacy. You'd think making clear you want to retain your privacy should be enough, legally, but I guess there are no consequences.
      - Daho0n 6y ago
Darmody 6y ago
Google doing something bad is not an excuse for others doing the same thing. Also Google isn't under the control of an authoritarian government who is committing genocide as we speak. I'm no Google fan and I dislike what big tech have become but I rather let Google have my data than the CCP.
keepper 6y ago
Yes, it does matter that it's outside of US laws. Just like the inverse matters too. ( an American company collecting Chinese user data should matter to Chinese users ). This "whataboutism" is getting tiring. What Xiaomi does here is really bad. if google does/did the same thing it would ALSO be bad. There is no "but they do it too!". It's bad, period.
nicolas_t 6y ago
Well yes, I also call Chrome a spyware and don't use it. That's why I use firefox. And from what I read on HN, other people say the same thing about Chrome.

jzebedee 6y ago

Yes, they are both spyware. Call a spade a spade.

EvilEy3 6y ago

What does Google have to do with Xiaomi spyware? Or Google being spyware somehow makes Xiaomi spyware less shitty?

techrat 6y ago
>What does Google have to do with Xiaomi spyware? False equivalence. If people in here actually broke down the differences, they would have to admit that their "Grr, Google just as bad!" hyperbole is more than just a tad disingenuous.
Decker87 6y ago
I think it comes down to which companies and governments are on the other end. I'm far from trusting the US government, but I trust the Chinese government even less.
- guerrilla 6y ago
  I'm sure you have your reasons but for me I feel like I have nothing to worry about from China living permanently outside of their jurisdiction.
_jal 6y ago
There is a natural tendency to compare and contrast. And especially in cases where people are speculating about political motives, you're going to see that. > Or Google being spyware somehow makes Xiaomi spyware less shitty? Absolutely not, but both of them doing it defangs certain types of criticism.

dangwu 6y ago

They're definitely both spyware at this point. Shoutout to Firefox, which makes a conscious effort to block tracking cookies and not collect data.

okl 6y ago
By the grace of their benefactor (Google)?
- Kelamir 6y ago
  Could you elaborate your point?
  - okl 6y ago
    Google pays a lot of money to Mozilla to be the default search provider in Firefox. This creates a conflict of interest. https://www.zdnet.com/article/sources-mozilla-extends-its-google-search-deal/ https://www.zdnet.com/article/sources-mozilla-extends-its-go...
  - neltnerb 6y ago
    Apologies for not finding citations, but as an example of... suspicious behavior... Firefox had a big campaign about blocking Facebook tracking with a big push to install an addon to reduce Facebook data collection. They did not do that with Google. That's the one that stood out to me as especially asymmetric, others may have other examples they remember. Don't get me wrong, Firefox is clearly the best of the options available. I use it all the time. But I'm also very aware that there is a bigger bias against Facebook (don't actually care since I don't go near it and block its javascript and cookies) than against Google. Of course, it's not obvious that this is Firefox's fault, Google is extremely good at finding probably-shouldn't-be-legal workarounds to just about any attempt to retain privacy. You'd think making clear you want to retain your privacy should be enough, legally, but I guess there are no consequences.
    - Daho0n 6y ago

Darmody 6y ago

Google doing something bad is not an excuse for others doing the same thing. Also Google isn't under the control of an authoritarian government who is committing genocide as we speak. I'm no Google fan and I dislike what big tech have become but I rather let Google have my data than the CCP.

keepper 6y ago

Yes, it does matter that it's outside of US laws. Just like the inverse matters too. ( an American company collecting Chinese user data should matter to Chinese users ). This "whataboutism" is getting tiring. What Xiaomi does here is really bad. if google does/did the same thing it would ALSO be bad. There is no "but they do it too!". It's bad, period.

nicolas_t 6y ago

Well yes, I also call Chrome a spyware and don't use it. That's why I use firefox. And from what I read on HN, other people say the same thing about Chrome.