6 ms·

You're in the EU, right? In that case these features have been off by default for years (I posted a link to the 2021 documentation showing that, but I'm 95% sur

by jsnell 1y ago

You're in the EU, right? In that case these features have been off by default for years (I posted a link to the 2021 documentation showing that, but I'm 95% sure it was already the case pre-Covid). If you've been using these features for years, it kind of suggests you'd already consented to exactly this level of data use before, and just forgot about it. What's the documentation link?

diggan 1y ago
> You're in the EU, right? Yes. > If you've been using these features for years I haven't agreed to any of those features explicitly, the thing with flights/reservations appearing in Google Calendar has been a feature for years and don't recall that needing an explicit agreement that Google can use that same data for improving other Google services. It wasn't until today (it seems) they asked for explicit permission for that. > What's the documentation link? I think it was linking to https://support.google.com/mail/answer/15604322 https://support.google.com/mail/answer/15604322 but can't confirm 100% since I can't see that modal anymore.
- jsnell 1y ago
  I'm pretty sure what's happened is that you'd agreed to it and forgotten. These features were very explicitly turned off in the EU half a decade ago, and all European users had to make an explicit decision of whether to opt in or not via exactly this kind of modal consent dialog. > I think it was linking to https://support.google.com/mail/answer/15604322 https://support.google.com/mail/answer/15604322 but can't confirm 100% since I can't see that modal anymore. Fair. But I don't think that page is saying what you originally said it did. They're not asking for consent for using data for product improvements or sharing with third parties. Consent is the stated legal basis for using the data for providing the features. Legitimate interest is the basis for using the data for product improvements. I can see no claim about data being shared with third parties.
  - diggan 1y ago
    > European users had to make an explicit decision of whether to opt in or not via exactly this kind of modal consent dialog. Ok, lets assume I did accept it (or not), then why ask again? Clearly something has changed, otherwise they'd just use my previous consent (or lack of). > They're not asking for consent for using data for product improvements My reading of that is that they are, some highlights you might have missed: > > When smart features are on, your data may be used to improve these features [...] To improve our services. If you have turned on any of the smart features settings, we may also process your Workspace Content & Activity to improve these features. [...] Developing new products and features [...] Performing research That basically says they can use the data as long as it ends up being used for a new product/feature, which can essentially be anything.
    - jsnell 1y ago
      But they're not asking for your consent for that. They're saying that if you use these features, they have a legal basis (legitimate interest) other than consent to use your data for product improvements. The only thing they're asking for consent is for providing the features. Which you appear to want to use, and which genuinely can't be provided without access to the data, so where is the problem? (I don't think it is as unbounded as you claim. They'd still be limited by their other policies, which for Workspace are quite restrictive, and by what EU DPAs would actually find reasonable to be covered by legitimate interest. It is not a free ticket to do anything you want.)

by jsnell 1y ago

diggan 1y ago

> You're in the EU, right? Yes. > If you've been using these features for years I haven't agreed to any of those features explicitly, the thing with flights/reservations appearing in Google Calendar has been a feature for years and don't recall that needing an explicit agreement that Google can use that same data for improving other Google services. It wasn't until today (it seems) they asked for explicit permission for that. > What's the documentation link? I think it was linking to https://support.google.com/mail/answer/15604322 https://support.google.com/mail/answer/15604322 but can't confirm 100% since I can't see that modal anymore.

jsnell 1y ago
I'm pretty sure what's happened is that you'd agreed to it and forgotten. These features were very explicitly turned off in the EU half a decade ago, and all European users had to make an explicit decision of whether to opt in or not via exactly this kind of modal consent dialog. > I think it was linking to https://support.google.com/mail/answer/15604322 https://support.google.com/mail/answer/15604322 but can't confirm 100% since I can't see that modal anymore. Fair. But I don't think that page is saying what you originally said it did. They're not asking for consent for using data for product improvements or sharing with third parties. Consent is the stated legal basis for using the data for providing the features. Legitimate interest is the basis for using the data for product improvements. I can see no claim about data being shared with third parties.
- diggan 1y ago
  > European users had to make an explicit decision of whether to opt in or not via exactly this kind of modal consent dialog. Ok, lets assume I did accept it (or not), then why ask again? Clearly something has changed, otherwise they'd just use my previous consent (or lack of). > They're not asking for consent for using data for product improvements My reading of that is that they are, some highlights you might have missed: > > When smart features are on, your data may be used to improve these features [...] To improve our services. If you have turned on any of the smart features settings, we may also process your Workspace Content & Activity to improve these features. [...] Developing new products and features [...] Performing research That basically says they can use the data as long as it ends up being used for a new product/feature, which can essentially be anything.
  - jsnell 1y ago
    But they're not asking for your consent for that. They're saying that if you use these features, they have a legal basis (legitimate interest) other than consent to use your data for product improvements. The only thing they're asking for consent is for providing the features. Which you appear to want to use, and which genuinely can't be provided without access to the data, so where is the problem? (I don't think it is as unbounded as you claim. They'd still be limited by their other policies, which for Workspace are quite restrictive, and by what EU DPAs would actually find reasonable to be covered by legitimate interest. It is not a free ticket to do anything you want.)