They talk as if they're protecting our privacy when it's really a global surveillance net. The spin doctoring is insane.
this post was submitted on 12 Apr 2024
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Privacy
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Friendly reminder that Bluetooth has a larger network stack than Wi-Fi. Much more code, much larger available attack base. There have been many numerous Bluetooth vulnerabilities that allow remote code execution or theft of files.
This is truly becoming a surveillance state, in no way that can be debated. That want to be able to access everyone's innermost thoughts (texts, notes, recordings, calendars, contacts, photos, you get it) without any chance of someone being able to protect against it.
Reminder that Google was the 2nd or 3rd company to commit to NSA's PRISM program of feeding American's data for future analysis.
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"Privacy Sandbox" is just Google-controlled surveillance carried out with your phone/PC as the primary data provider. We've reached maximum perversion of the English language.
are you referring to the new “Privacy Sandbox” or the old “Privacy Sandbox”. because if there calling this new thing a “Privacy Sandbox” after the old one lost public attention after they kept promising it for years, I am going to laugh or maybe cry.
what they originally called “Privacy Sandbox”
it was a browser feature to remove the HTTP cookie and replace it with a cohort system.
your browser would receve signals about your habbits. that you were buying domino's pizza and announce to upcoming sites that you like pizza, but ya know... in a "safe" way.
I still see, "chrome is going to replace the cookie" and "RIP the humble cookie" every once in a while.
I'm pretty sure the old Privacy Sandbox was called FLoC, wasn't it? This is definitely part of Google's continued efforts to kill the (third-party) cookie in such a way that tracking your user activity will still be possible, but that Google itself will maximally benefit from because they're the ones controlling how it'll get implemented.
And given Google's near-unilateral control of web browsing standards, who will say no? Their biggest partners? Mozilla?
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According to the posted link, the network can be turned off entirely if you wish, and you could just not use Google Play Services on your device, and that should also stop this.
GrapheneOS w/o Google tools Schoulf be safe.
It appears to require a Google account to do the tracking. So yeah, without Google services, you should be perfectly safe. Since you have no Google account registered on device and no services that run rogue in the background,
If the Bluetooth module itself is still running, it will be trackable
The article did not say specifically how it was getting added to Android 15, because if it's in AOSP, then yeah, there's definitely a problem. But if it's in Google Play Services, which seems likely, then it would not be as big of an issue.
If it works anything like Apple’s Find My (which it appears to do) then no you won’t be trackable.
I don't care. I want to be able to disable Bluetooth completely. If Android (even AOSP) doesn't let me, it's dead for me
You still can.
I’m just pointing out that your paranoia is out of ignorance, instead of a sound understanding of the technology.
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While I like those options, they are definitely not for everyone. Those problems are collective, protecting the privacy of 1% of the population is as good as protecting nobody.
That's definitely true. We definitely need more people to care about their privacy as well.
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On, that's fine. I wouldn't install that shit on my phone anyway.
As long as it's not in AOSP, no problem
the new google massive surveillance apparatus is ready to be deployed
What do you think Google Maps and GSF are
More like, already deployed, this is just the announcement.
Apple already does it with their iPhone, just saying.
I know
Where is that mentioned? I can't find that in the article
I also couldn't find a mention, and it definitely does not make sense (and likely isn't even possible) to run Bluetooth without Android itself running
...which uses a crowdsourced device-locating network to help you find your lost or misplaced devices and belongings quickly – even when they’re offline.
Maybe this line is being misinterpreted?
That is why we took our time when designing the new Find My Device, which uses a crowdsourced device-locating network to help you find your lost or misplaced devices and belongings quickly – even when they’re offline.
That doesn't say that. Although the article linked from there does, for Pixels.
And thanks to specialized Pixel hardware, Pixel 8 and 8 Pro owners will also be able to find their devices if they’re powered off or the battery is dead.
even with a dead battery? how? there must be something 'turned on' to send bluetooth signals or is this magic?
I suspect it still draws battery power, but extremely small amounts. Few mah left in the battery could power a BLE beacon for weeks. There would be some limit to this as draining the lithium battery too deeply will damage it.
Not necessarily, there are lots of completely passive beacon technologies. I seem to remember reading a few years ago about beacons powered by Wifi signals.
Obviously you also need other phones to be able to pick up those signals so it might take until phones with Android 15 become commonplace which might take a while. But it's definitely doable.
OP blocked for clickbait.
Not a single mention in the article about whether Bluetooth is turned on or off.
Samsung has an opt in option for the Smart thing network. I guess Google will go the same route.
Didn't iPhone been doing it for years so you can still track your lost phone even if it's turned off?
But this is Android, I'm sure there'll be work around if you don't want it. Personally I think it could be helpful.
You turn it off. It says so in the link.
User Controls: Android users always have full control over which of their devices participate in the Find My Device network and how those devices participate. Users can either stick with the default and contribute to aggregated location reporting, opt into contributing non-aggregated locations, or turn the network off altogether.
Right, Google definitely a man of their words. Like they are definitely not record anything in your Incognito Chrome tabs.
I'm sure there'll be work around if you don't want it.
Take the battery out of the phone. No battery no energy to run bluetooth
Didn’t iPhone been doing it for years
You're trying to describe an action that has started in the past and is still taking place. "Didn't" is simple past which indicates a concluded action. The correct tense you'd want to use here is present perfect progressive --> "Hasn't iPhone been doing it for years".
Edit: Although, I missed the "been" in your sentence, so you just picked the wrong verb. Not too far off 👍
Thanks, this actually helpful.
Pixel 7 with GrapheneOS is looking like a good long term choice right now.
Graphene is built on Android. If you enable all the gsf on graphene with android 15 it can probably still run in the background while off.
kinda what @null@slrpnk.net said, we should probably wait for graphineOS's expert opinion on the matter.
They said they won't support it https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/11520-android-find-my-device-when-powered-off/2
It seems like a waste of battery
You can turn off the phone???
I guess the recommendation of turning off the Bluetooth to save battery, or the sarcastic comment that usually says "bro, just turn off the phone if you care too much about the battery" are gonna be obsolete now aren't they?
Postmarket OS Here I come! Now just the problem of banking apps ...
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