Can AOSP rom provide relief on privacy concerns?

[thinkmega]

We've heard quite a bit about how google and apple track the use of smartphone. Do we know if this is done on the OS level or carried out by certain app? I am wondering if AOSP rom can also offer better privacy protection than the stock roms, or just the opposite.

Please share your thoughts.

[13th angel]

Its OS level as far as i know so using AOSP wont affect it since it uses Googles source code to build off. I havent heard anything about Google tracking though, just Apple.

[jaycemiskel]

Yeah you can opt in with Google but if you don't want them to know you don't have to check that little box.

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[Chizzele]

I read that Google tracking is harder to crack and is not shareable like apple tracking.

[Natey2]

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/201...3261303567093/

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[czerdrill]

I'm just curious, what exactly are people afraid will happen if anonymous tracking data is sent back to google or android? There's no way to identify you by that data, they don't use the data for malicious purposes, and it's not like the data transmitted is personal information like logins, bank accounts or social security numbers.

it's location data. you can't just stay off the grid by unchecking a box. google/verizon/apple knowing where i am on a saturday is no big deal to me, just wondering why people are going so crazy over such a non-story?

[thinkmega]

I'm just curious, what exactly are people afraid will happen if anonymous tracking data is sent back to google or android? There's no way to identify you by that data, they don't use the data for malicious purposes, and it's not like the data transmitted is personal information like logins, bank accounts or social security numbers.

it's location data. you can't just stay off the grid by unchecking a box. google/verizon/apple knowing where i am on a saturday is no big deal to me, just wondering why people are going so crazy over such a non-story?

Merchants know a lot about your shopping preferences if they can capture what you look at, and how much time between switching from one page to another (not a precision data but useful if you have other information to collaborate.).

Your ISP knows which sites you surf and when;

If you use electronic banking, your bank knows your account number and other info;

When a marketing research firm gets all these together, they probably can put together a profile more detail than you would realize, if they do it right.

Apple and Google can get many of these information with little effort because they own the OS.

Now go back to your question of what exactly people are afraid of. Well, different people have different concerns. It is also a process of being educated. The more you know, probably the more you become concerned.

As a consumer, we are getting the convenience for the prices of being analyzed without our consent. If the information failed to the wrong hand, it would be a bad experience at least.

[czerdrill]

I'm just curious, what exactly are people afraid will happen if anonymous tracking data is sent back to google or android? There's no way to identify you by that data, they don't use the data for malicious purposes, and it's not like the data transmitted is personal information like logins, bank accounts or social security numbers.

it's location data. you can't just stay off the grid by unchecking a box. google/verizon/apple knowing where i am on a saturday is no big deal to me, just wondering why people are going so crazy over such a non-story?

Merchants know a lot about your shopping preferences if they can capture what you look at, and how much time between switching from one page to another (not a precision data but useful if you have other information to collaborate.).

Your ISP knows which sites you surf and when;

If you use electronic banking, your bank knows your account number and other info;

When a marketing research firm gets all these together, they probably can put together a profile more detail than you would realize, if they do it right.

Apple and Google can get many of these information with little effort because they own the OS.

Now go back to your question of what exactly people are afraid of. Well, different people have different concerns. It is also a process of being educated. The more you know, probably the more you become concerned.

As a consumer, we are getting the convenience for the prices of being analyzed without our consent. If the information failed to the wrong hand, it would be a bad experience at least.

Google and Apple cannot get your bank account information just because they own an OS. The other stuff, sure. But again, that's not smartphone exclusive, nor are you any more "safe" anywhere else then another. I think people have a skewed view of privacy, and the truth of the matter is, there isn't much privacy (if any), especially not in a digital/internet environment. Everything you do can be traced, and there's always going to be someone, somewhere or some agency somewhere that knows where you are at any time or can find out where you were at any time. If you're on the internet, there is no anonymity. That's why I think this story is a non-story and people are going crazy for nothing.

Now specifically, the data in this story is location data only. There is no other information being transmitted, and there is nothing that can be used to identify you in any way. It doesn't say "czerdrill was at Publix this morning at 10AM"...it says "Publix, 10AM"...It's not a big deal. There's not some guy in some server room somewhere, following the blip on his monitor and saying "muhaha I've got him now!". It's completely anonymous data, and serves no other purpose but to provide more accurate location based services for you. However, you're not going to get some added layer of privacy or security by unchecking the box in Android. Privacy doesn't exist on the Internet. Nothing to be afraid of, that's just what it is.

Stories like this are just ways for people to get up in arms about something. Media tactics to print something that the average person will think is "OMG crazzzyyyy!"...the truth is it's no biggie.

I do agree with you that different people have different concerns. Some people are just a little too paranoid. My sister for example doesn't pay her phone bill online because she's afraid someone is going to steal her bank account info. Instead, she mails a check. Paranoia. Some disgruntled post office worker can open her mail, steal her account info and do the same thing a hacker would do online (and probably in a much easier fashion).

Being worried about anonymous location data being transmitted somewhere is a little silly in my opinion...

[jaycemiskel]

I'm just curious, what exactly are people afraid will happen if anonymous tracking data is sent back to google or android? There's no way to identify you by that data, they don't use the data for malicious purposes, and it's not like the data transmitted is personal information like logins, bank accounts or social security numbers.

it's location data. you can't just stay off the grid by unchecking a box. google/verizon/apple knowing where i am on a saturday is no big deal to me, just wondering why people are going so crazy over such a non-story?

Merchants know a lot about your shopping preferences if they can capture what you look at, and how much time between switching from one page to another (not a precision data but useful if you have other information to collaborate.).

Your ISP knows which sites you surf and when;

If you use electronic banking, your bank knows your account number and other info;

When a marketing research firm gets all these together, they probably can put together a profile more detail than you would realize, if they do it right.

Apple and Google can get many of these information with little effort because they own the OS.

Now go back to your question of what exactly people are afraid of. Well, different people have different concerns. It is also a process of being educated. The more you know, probably the more you become concerned.

As a consumer, we are getting the convenience for the prices of being analyzed without our consent. If the information failed to the wrong hand, it would be a bad experience at least.

Google and Apple cannot get your bank account information just because they own an OS. The other stuff, sure. But again, that's not smartphone exclusive, nor are you any more "safe" anywhere else then another. I think people have a skewed view of privacy, and the truth of the matter is, there isn't much privacy (if any), especially not in a digital/internet environment. Everything you do can be traced, and there's always going to be someone, somewhere or some agency somewhere that knows where you are at any time or can find out where you were at any time. If you're on the internet, there is no anonymity. That's why I think this story is a non-story and people are going crazy for nothing.

Now specifically, the data in this story is location data only. There is no other information being transmitted, and there is nothing that can be used to identify you in any way. It doesn't say "czerdrill was at Publix this morning at 10AM"...it says "Publix, 10AM"...It's not a big deal. There's not some guy in some server room somewhere, following the blip on his monitor and saying "muhaha I've got him now!". It's completely anonymous data, and serves no other purpose but to provide more accurate location based services for you. However, you're not going to get some added layer of privacy or security by unchecking the box in Android. Privacy doesn't exist on the Internet. Nothing to be afraid of, that's just what it is.

Stories like this are just ways for people to get up in arms about something. Media tactics to print something that the average person will think is "OMG crazzzyyyy!"...the truth is it's no biggie.

I do agree with you that different people have different concerns. Some people are just a little too paranoid. My sister for example doesn't pay her phone bill online because she's afraid someone is going to steal her bank account info. Instead, she mails a check. Paranoia. Some disgruntled post office worker can open her mail, steal her account info and do the same thing a hacker would do online (and probably in a much easier fashion).

Being worried about anonymous location data being transmitted somewhere is a little silly in my opinion...

I wanted to say something like that but I really didn't want to write such a long post lol. I totally agree with what you said. Some people are just conspiracy theorists.


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[thinkmega]

http://m.usatoday.com/article/tech/46457930

However, can we focus on the subject?

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