Comment by 🦔 bsj38381
Anytime I use Medibang or Ibispaint, I always turn on airplane mode on my iPad, no ads on site.
Mar 19 · 7 weeks ago
7 Later Comments ↓
🚀 lars_the_bear · Mar 19 at 08:02:
The idea that tech corporations are selling location data to governmental agencies is something I'd like to see hard evidence for. Not saying it couldn't happen, or doesn't happen but, whenever I've tried to find where these concerns originate from, I never can.
Having said all that, I have to admit that I'm very careful with my location data. I don't use Google Maps (or Google anything), and I keep location services turned off most of the time. I only use location with one app, and it has a robust privacy policy which I'm inclined to trust.
🚀 lars_the_bear · Mar 19 at 08:07:
@stack : I'm reasonably sure that my de-Googled phone isn't letting apps see location data when location services are turned off. This is something that gets a lot of attention.
Stock, vendor Android shouldn't do it, either, unless they're making significant changes from the AOSP code base. Which, of course, they might be. There have certainly been concerns about this in the past, but it's embarassing to vendors.
👻 darkghost · Mar 19 at 10:57:
I mean the FBI director was bragging about buying American's location data. That's what this is about. Now this admin is a bunch of crooks and liars but in this case I do think it's legitimate.
🚀 stack [OP] · Mar 19 at 19:01:
If someone is selling data, agencies can buy it. Why set up a spy network when citizens self-spy and corporations sort the data for you?
I've seen Russians laugh at "foolish Americans" with their obsession with superficial rights and 'freedom of speech' and the dream of being deeply in debt...
👻 darkghost · Mar 20 at 00:25:
I've heard that the internet in Russia is basically non-functional because it's always being shut off by the authorities. It's leading people to using 90s tech like walkie talkies and paper maps...
🚀 lars_the_bear · Mar 20 at 07:41:
@darkghost : Would you trust Kash Patel if he told you grass was green?
Whether he's telling the truth or not, I don't deny there's good reason to be concerned. This is why I'm such an advocate of de-Googled phones and open-source apps. And why everbody I know in real life thinks I'm a rabid tinfoil-hatter.
👻 darkghost · Mar 20 at 11:29:
Welcome to the club of rabid tin foil hattery. Our spring fashions are out and we have a lovely shade of silver this year. (I'm right there with you.)
Original Post
FBI buys location data — The first response is a perfect summary. consumer apps embed ad SDKs → those SDKs feed location signals into RTB ad exchanges → surveillance-oriented firms sit in the RTB pipeline and harvest bid request data even without winning auctions → that data flows to aggregators who don't have any direct relationship with consumers → and from there it's sold to government agencies, among others. The genius of this structure is that accountability dissolves at every layer. Each...