Kyle Rankin @kyle@librem.one

Burying the lede: "AT&T engineers are creating 'unified customer identifiers,' [AT&T CEO] Stankey said. Such technology would allow marketers to identify users across multiple devices and serve them relevant advertising." #privacy https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/09/att-wants-to-put-ads-on-your-smartphone-in-exchange-for-5-discount/

Due to FB and app developer pressure, Apple changed their mind about mandating apps ask permission before tracking users in iOS 14. That lobbying power should tell you everything you need to know about how much money is made through tracking in iOS apps: #privacy

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/09/facebook-complains-apple-responds-ios-14s-big-privacy-change-gets-postponed/

"Google is a popular target for this kind of request because almost everyone uses Google products in one way or another ... Moreover, Google frequently has GPS data that places a user's phone to within a few meters" #privacy https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/09/feds-cant-ask-google-for-every-phone-in-a-100-meter-radius-court-says/

It's so interesting that #privacy concerns over public health apps mean that you must opt-in to be tracked with built-in coronavirus features, but still must opt-out of all of the even more intrusive tracking that already happens on the phone by default: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/01/apple-google-will-build-coronavirus-contact-tracing-software-right-into-your-phone.html

Some say that people don't care about #privacy, but Facebook is convinced that enough people won't opt into being tracked that they are removing tracking by unique phone identifier entirely before opt in gets implemented in iOS 14: #powerofdefaults https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/08/ios-14-privacy-settings-will-tank-ad-targeting-business-facebook-warns/

Given what you know about the current state of phone technology and Internet #privacy, which tech company would you trust to control your neural implant? https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/26/21402240/neuralink-august-2020-event-brain-machine-interface-working-demonstration

"Documents released also show that Google’s privacy policy was crafted in a way to allow applications that had location tracking turned off from using the location tracking information from another Google application that had location tracking on" #privacy https://www.azmirror.com/2020/08/24/unsealed-google-lawsuit-docs-show-its-own-engineers-were-confused-by-privacy-settings/

All the more reason to take control over your own location data and how it's shared, instead of hoping proprietary software funded by your data is operating in your best interests (it isn't): https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/08/secret-service-other-agencies-buy-access-to-mobile-phone-location-data/ #privacy

TikTok offers 3rd parties to audit their code to quiet #privacy concerns. Auditability, not just of TikTok w/ hand-picked regulators/experts, is critical for software we rely on. For real privacy and security, you want software w/ a #FOSS license. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/07/29/tiktok-privacy-antitrust-china/

I'm glad to see mainstream pieces on the #privacy issues behind sharing kid pics. I treat my child's online persona like a financial trust in his name: I am a trustee charged to manage/protect it until he is old enough to take ownership. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2020/07/27/four-things-keep-mind-when-posting-about-your-kids-online/

So now car companies will be faced with the choice of harvesting and selling our data, or leaving money on the table and facing shareholder wrath. Does @purism needs to make a car with hardware kill switches? #privacy https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/m7jpmp/car-companies-want-to-monitor-your-every-move-with-emotion-detecting-ai

"This has been going on for years and is an essential part of the mobile app economy."

Unless you remove the financial incentive, there's no hope for #privacy on Android/iOS. Their app ecosystems are built on selling user data and no amount of prompts or checkboxes can fix it.

https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/7/8/21311533/sdks-tracking-data-location

Movie remake: Terminator, but T-101 has 2020 facial recognition tech with current false positive rates. Twist: Sarah Connor is black. #privacy

Bill aims to ban microtargeting of political ads. I'd argue the same reasoning to ban targeted manipulation for political ads should apply to *all* ads. The Internet (and society) would be much healither w/o microtargeting. #privacy https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/05/proposed-bill-would-ban-microtargeting-of-political-advertisements/

Interesting #privacy conflict: some governments and health officials are upset with Google and Apple because they won't share the location data their contract tracing apps collect. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/05/15/app-apple-google-virus/

Surveillance vendor NSO Group pitched hacking tools to US police forces that would "turn your target's smartphone into an intelligence gold mine" #privacy #infosec https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/8899nz/nso-group-pitched-phone-hacking-tech-american-police

Well that's pretty encouraging. It looks like when people are better informed about #privacy trade-offs and must opt-in, instead of being forced to opt-out, many prefer the privacy-preserving option. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/04/half-of-americans-wont-trust-contact-tracing-apps-new-poll-finds/

Many of the #infosec arguments in the encryption backdoor debate (life-or-death, manpower vs automation, tech ineffectiveness, #privacy + freedom vs benefit, govt. + big tech power) apply to #COVID-19 app tracking debate, but with many ppl changing sides.

The article touches on some #privacy concerns, but much depends on this being voluntary. My concern is it will be false choice like many TSA rules: ie. you can "choose" to use the app and resume work/public life or "choose" to stay at home. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/04/10/apple-google-tracking-coronavirus/

Remember that Big Data companies redefine #privacy to mean private to others, not private to them. They still see and store your personal data:

"No personally identifiable information, such as an individual's location, contacts or movement, will be made available at any point"

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Health/coronavirus-live-updates-us-death-toll-tops-6000/story