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Don’t download Qatar World Cup apps, EU data authorities warn

23 points by ahiknsr 4y ago

Kukumber 4y ago
Ban it if it's bad, it's like with TikTok, ban it if it's evil and dangerous This sounds like they don't want to ban it but instead want to spread some shade on Qatar to manipulate the public opinion I want to promote a free world, but damn it's being done in a tasteless fashion, i don't want no coward's free-world
- elaus 4y ago
  How would the EU ban what apps European citizens can download while they are in Qatar? They do not have any authority there, all they can do is warn their citizens to not do it.
- onionisafruit 4y ago
  Can EU regulators ban EU visitors to Qatar from downloading an app?
- TheCapn 4y ago
  Agreed. In Canada there was a bunch of halabaloo for a couple years regarding the use of Huawei infrastructure within our Telecoms. For the longest time government was teasing the notion that they will be banning the use of their hardware but never fully did (EDIT/NOTE: I haven't followed up on this fora a while, maybe they have now?). It was just a bunch of noise about security and all that, but never outright saying what the risks were or why they haven't banned things yet. Ultimately I felt like it was incredibly political, more than security. Do I believe there was big potential for security vulnerabilities placed in the hardware by Huawei? Yes. Do I trust that our government had our best interest in mind with their messaging? No. At a certain point, you need to trust your populous/users with enough information for them to make informed decisions because as soon as your messaging is full of holes people will rightfully point it out. Can we trust the messaging when it is half assed? Can we trust what you're saying is truthful if words are telling us one thing but actions are telling us another? Why is it a problem for <Company A> to be doing this while <Company B> has been doing it all along and doesn't even get a footnote in the press release?
- sneak 4y ago
  A free world is one in which you are allowed to install any apps you choose on your own phone, no?
  - Kukumber 4y ago
    someone has to make sure nobody wants to take that away from you they are the ones sacrificing their life in the shadows, wondering what's their purpose
jacooper 4y ago
The thing is these apps are operated by FIFA not Qatar.
cirrus3 4y ago
> “One of the apps collects data on whether and with which number a telephone call is made,” the German authority said. “The other app actively prevents the device on which it is installed from going into sleep mode." These must be Android apps? Pretty sure iOS developers have no way to do things like this unless the apps required you to also install some profile.
ls15 4y ago
Just ignore Qatar and the FIFA and let them waste their investment. Countries could pull out of FIFA and deprive them of their most lucrative markets. Then keep ignoring the FIFA and form a new association with more favorable standards. They don't own the stadions or the clubs or the players, so someone else can as well organize the matches. Seems easier, cheaper and more entertaining than trying to fix a decades old culture of corruption. Why are we still listening to them?

23 points by ahiknsr 4y ago

Ban it if it's bad, it's like with TikTok, ban it if it's evil and dangerous This sounds like they don't want to ban it but instead want to spread some shade on Qatar to manipulate the public opinion I want to promote a free world, but damn it's being done in a tasteless fashion, i don't want no coward's free-world

elaus 4y ago
How would the EU ban what apps European citizens can download while they are in Qatar? They do not have any authority there, all they can do is warn their citizens to not do it.
onionisafruit 4y ago
Can EU regulators ban EU visitors to Qatar from downloading an app?
TheCapn 4y ago
Agreed. In Canada there was a bunch of halabaloo for a couple years regarding the use of Huawei infrastructure within our Telecoms. For the longest time government was teasing the notion that they will be banning the use of their hardware but never fully did (EDIT/NOTE: I haven't followed up on this fora a while, maybe they have now?). It was just a bunch of noise about security and all that, but never outright saying what the risks were or why they haven't banned things yet. Ultimately I felt like it was incredibly political, more than security. Do I believe there was big potential for security vulnerabilities placed in the hardware by Huawei? Yes. Do I trust that our government had our best interest in mind with their messaging? No. At a certain point, you need to trust your populous/users with enough information for them to make informed decisions because as soon as your messaging is full of holes people will rightfully point it out. Can we trust the messaging when it is half assed? Can we trust what you're saying is truthful if words are telling us one thing but actions are telling us another? Why is it a problem for <Company A> to be doing this while <Company B> has been doing it all along and doesn't even get a footnote in the press release?
sneak 4y ago
A free world is one in which you are allowed to install any apps you choose on your own phone, no?
- Kukumber 4y ago
  someone has to make sure nobody wants to take that away from you they are the ones sacrificing their life in the shadows, wondering what's their purpose

jacooper 4y ago

The thing is these apps are operated by FIFA not Qatar.

cirrus3 4y ago

> “One of the apps collects data on whether and with which number a telephone call is made,” the German authority said. “The other app actively prevents the device on which it is installed from going into sleep mode." These must be Android apps? Pretty sure iOS developers have no way to do things like this unless the apps required you to also install some profile.

ls15 4y ago

Just ignore Qatar and the FIFA and let them waste their investment. Countries could pull out of FIFA and deprive them of their most lucrative markets. Then keep ignoring the FIFA and form a new association with more favorable standards. They don't own the stadions or the clubs or the players, so someone else can as well organize the matches. Seems easier, cheaper and more entertaining than trying to fix a decades old culture of corruption. Why are we still listening to them?