Who is honest in todays world .........nobody

The competition watchdog is taking tech giant Google to court for allegedly misleading millions of Australians into sharing more of their private data that Google then attempted to profit from, including for targeted advertising.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is alleging that Google failed to properly inform consumers or obtain written consent about combining personal information on users’ Google accounts with their activities on non-Google sites in 2016.

The move meant that users’ non-Google online activity were linked to their names, where this data was previously not linked to users’ personal information.

Google used the newly-combined information for its commercial gain for its advertising arm, the ACCC

rom mid-June 2016 to December 2018 or later, Google users were asked to click ‘I agree’ to a pop-up notification that appeared to explain how the tech giant would use its data, and request permission from this.

“We’ve introduced some optional features for your account, giving you more control over the data Google collects and how it’s used, while allowing Google to show you more relevant ads,” the notification read.

The notification also said: “More information will be available in your Google Account making it easier for you to review and control.”

“Google will use this information to make ads across the web more relevant for you.”

After hitting ‘I agree’, Google was able to collect a broader range of information on the online activities of Google users, including their use of third-party websites.

Combining this information allowed Google to sell more targeted advertising.

Right, it's either that, or you start to pay for everything you do on the internet.

You would be paying a fee to check each e-mail. Pay a fee to use a search engine, pay a fee for each post you make on social media, so for an active internet user, they would pay potentially hundreds of dollars PER MONTH on top of their ISP service.

There are also other alternatives than Google that are free and don't use you for marketing purposes.

So don't watch porn, Unless you want the entire google staff having a laugh at your expense.

Seriously - if people are so concerned over their data and "PRIVACY" (ahahahahahaha what a word to use in 2020) - then they should NOT be on the internet, they should use only paper money - Wherever you go data is collected about you, even the air you breath collects data about you Question is, does it matter ? What do you have to hide ? Did you kill someone and hid their body in a freezer tucked away under 3 trap doors down in the basement triple pad locked ? Did you do something illegal ? etc....... Yeah data is used to our expense, so what are you all doing here working on tasks and surveys I'm not sure people know that the networks providing offers and surveys on GPT are making tons of money on "leads" - WE are the leads, and the ton of data accumulated in pre-screeners in routers are a gold mine of information. There is NO ESCAPING privacy, unless you just pull the RJ45 plug from your computer, or unplug the modem (for those with wireless connection), in other words cut ties with the internet.

Another thing people overlook - E-MAILS !!! I hope people know that e-mail is another data collector, even though it is aggregate data, it still collects data, keywords, etc, and e-mail = cloud, so if you are afraid to use google because of data collection, then you probably should stop using e-mail, and do what people did before, call up messenger birds, put your message in a bottle and have the bid deliver it to the destination Even the OS you use collects data on your usage, aggregate data though, nobody is going to trace you down with that data and knock on your door, unless of course you break the law and are wanted EVERYTHING you do online leaves a trace through your IP, and you can hide behind VPNs (which BTW is prohibited here and most sites) but you can still be traced if you are really badly wanted

Even in your own bank your data is not safe - Proof ? Banks being hacked, Capital One hacked, government revenue service hacked, data leaks, etc, that's why there is Equifax and other credit unions where you can take safety measures to protect you against identity theft.

People buy online all the time, another data collection potential..........

The only thing left where your data is not collected is when going to the toilet, unless of course you have one of those "smart toilets" and yes, they exist.

and pretty soon as chips take over everything, we will all have tracking devices implanted - and if not, it will be drones or satellites keeping track of us from above.

So those who want privacy, there are 2 places you can have it.

1) Inside a freezer
2) In a locked closet

I won't even get started on smartphones and the "FREE" even "PAID" apps you install and use, they are data collection machines........APPS is a billion $ industry, some developers make a fortune on "FREE" apps, all from in-app ads or in-app purchases that are sometimes shoved down your throat.

Without advertising, you'd be paying for everything you do, online and offline, and the concept of "FREE" and "UNLIMITED" would be long gone.

Luckily, we still have freedom to choose what data we want to share or to avoid sources that are not trusted.
I could care less if Google is collecting data on my usage, unless you are doing something illegal online that would get you arrested you shouldn't worry, but if it were some seedy site that is not known, I would worry about data collection, but there again, would I worry about aggregate data without my name, date of birth, SSN, etc, probably not, there's not much to worry about when it comes to aggregate data that does not link to a person (real name and address, social security number, date of birth, bank).

It's each person's responsibility to use a good antivirus, anti-malware, firewall and protect their data and be careful on what sites they visit and what they do online.

A zero ad, 100% privacy internet is science-fiction

It was of course just a bit of sarcasm from my side

I stopped caring about the privacy issues years ago, I almost only use chrome as it is a very good product from Google.

Even if you went completely Tor browsing with a vpn there is also Microsoft heavily snooping on everything you do with their windows 10 malware version (special data collecting edition)


A good start would be changing to an old cellphone and toss your fancy smartphone in the bin

Privacy ..... It's a word that should be removed from the dictionary.

There is an app called: Google Opinion Rewards.

And, If I'm not wrong, It says that our answers will be used to "improve google services".

Meaning they will be used to better direct ads on us.

Also ....Our smartphone, even the average ones, like mine, now feature facial recognition, this could, hypotetically, while an ad is watched, easily be used to read our faces, to figure out what emotions the ad is making us experience.

I know this is conspiracional and absurd, but who knows how far they can go in the name of profit.

On your phone you can control permissions for each app. If an app requires your camera access and the app is absolutely not relevant to that, then it is a red flag. If you install the wrong app you could be giving them permission to record you and listen to you

ALSO I don't know if most people know this, smart speakers, you know the likes of Siri, Alexa, Cortana, Google, any voice assistant, they are data collection mine, every voice request made is actually recorded and kept on a server, so all those naughty things people utter in the microphone, it's all recorded, and probably gets listened to by crowdsourced workers at some point. People who have smart homes and smart speakers and complain about privacy and data collection are very strange Might as well install cameras and broadcast live to the whole world what you are doing in your own home.

And smart toilets ? What's that all about ? This is too much, I mean should toilets send you a notification when they need cleaning or keeps statistics of your No 2's and the different sizes and shapes probably kept stored on the cloud on some remote server Even smart tooth brush, to help companies make more products to give you cavities and mouth disease..........

The smart speakers have an on off button.

valerie wrote: The smart speakers have an on off button.

That's a trick - rumour has it they still can listen to you, it's probably a standby off. Now I know you will say you can unplug it - that's true, you can unplug the internet cord too BUT now with paper money disappearing, people are forced to use no contact payment method, and that in itself is a gold mine of data, especially for thieves so they can track at what time you are mostly out of the house

No it is not a standby. The button turns it off completely.

valerie wrote: No it is not a standby. The button turns it off completely.

So let me guess, you have a smart speaker

To me, nothing is completely "OFF" unless it is unplugged from the wall - Companies can TRICK you Just because you push a button ON to OFF Does not PROVE the item is off, just because it seems off does not mean it is, all electronic equipment uses residual power, they can do far more now with little power. They say that it listens ONLY when called upon, but sometimes it is not always true - Apparently there are hacks to disable the "recording" mode.

I've actually worked on a task where I had to listen to Alexa, Siri and Echo recordings, these were queries made by people with smart speakers, so it's not a myth, ALL smart speakers by default send the voice data back to the server. In theory yes, it won't record you if item is off or not called upon, BUT some companies have shown to not always follow their own rules.

Can never be too safe

It's amazing what people say to their smart speakers (confidential information, their alarm codes, their bank codes, their intent to commit crime, etc )

Yes I have Smart speakers.

Yes they have off buttons.

Yes I believe they are off when I turn them off.

No, I don't think they are vampires but if they are, they consume very little juice.
My toaster is probably more so than my Smart speakers.

Now don't ask me about my Smart printer. LOL. That sucker has a mind of it's own!

I have a Smart Pritner too - it's an all in one and it works great, and no, it does not listen or spy, just a smart printer with touch display, built-in WIFI to allow me to print remotely, print documents from phone, wireless printing which I have done many times. I really wonder what SMART enabled toilets do though There again, maybe I don't

What I would like though is a smart gadgets to tell me who has COVID19, I mean not the silly, crappy, incompetent tracking apps which are a total SHAM and massive flop, but actual detectors analysing the air surrounding individuals.

at the end of this pandemic, America's population will go from 300 millions down to only 5 million, some people say this virus is a ploy to destroy developing and top economies, though I tend not to believe in those covid19 conspiracies, and stick to facts, this virus comes from wild animals, the animals we should have left alone where they belong, in the wild, but no, China had to kidnap them, torture them, and sell them to people for consumption :/

Right now the safest thing to do is assume everyone has COVID19.

Even your light switch may have covbid19

My Smart printer is down right spooky. I'll be watching tv, fall asleep on the sofa, and
then I am awaken by .....

eeeeeeekkkkkk wakkkkkkkk koooooo scrreeeechhhh hisssssss boing boing boing....

I walk slowly to the office and peek quietly around the corner. The printer will be
flashing it's window light, on off, on off, screeeeeechhhhhhh.....and I am like.....
YIKESSSSSS and slam the office door, waving my arms in the air, swearing my printer
is out to get me!

Well, it's almost that bad.

Don't ask me about my Smart Keurig.

valerie wrote: My Smart printer is down right spooky. I'll be watching tv, fall asleep on the sofa, and
then I am awaken by .....

eeeeeeekkkkkk wakkkkkkkk koooooo scrreeeechhhh hisssssss boing boing boing....

I walk slowly to the office and peek quietly around the corner. The printer will be
flashing it's window light, on off, on off, screeeeeechhhhhhh.....and I am like.....
YIKESSSSSS and slam the office door, waving my arms in the air, swearing my printer
is out to get me!

Well, it's almost that bad.

Don't ask me about my Smart Keurig.

You gotta be kidding me, is there such a thing as SMART addiction ? Why on earth would you need a SMART coffee machine - It's amazing that the world lived so long without SMART devices, because those were the times people got off their arse to go pick up the remote, or go check the temperature or go do whatever - It's come to a point where your smart watch will alert you when it's time to go to the toilet

As far as your printer, what brand is it and how often does it do that ? Does it do that a few minuets after printing a document ? If so, then it is normal, it could be your printer going into idle mode and parking the heads on the pads on the far right until the printer is used again, but it shouldn't be continually doing that.

Also depending on printer, it may go through something called a self clean cycle after a set amount of print or after a set amount of time of not using it, to prevent the nozzles from drying out, so yeah when printer is in clean cycle it makes a very weird noise as you describe exactly, but it shouldn't be happening frequently though.

The worst that can happen is severe mechanical failure and ink splattering all over your room

My printer is an HP printer and I do the auto ink. What it's doing is checking to see how much
ink I have used or how much I have left. Noooooo I never know when it's going to drive me into
hysterics! Just out of the blue.......ekkkkk yakkkkk hissssssssss

YES, Keurig. It is internet/bluetooth connected. It has a clock that is always lit and displays
the internet signal bars, like a smart phone. I can also change the water colors and other
options. I can only fathom they are checking to see how many coffee pods I drink per day.
Who knows, they may even know the kind of coffee I drink. It comes with the APP I had to
download.

Eventually, one will find themselves tip toeing around inside their own home.

valerie wrote: My printer is an HP printer and I do the auto ink. What it's doing is checking to see how much
ink I have used or how much I have left. Noooooo I never know when it's going to drive me into
hysterics! Just out of the blue.......ekkkkk yakkkkk hissssssssss

I use EPSON and ink refill kits EPSON are ink guzzlers, but I am really happy with mine, the model I have works great and the bulk ink purchases saves me a ton of money. So many years ago I started with an HP Deskjet, the head nozzles came with the cartridge, so each time you changed the cartridges, you get new nozzles. I don't recall my HP going into self clean cycles, I remember I had to manually "prime" and clear the nozzles myself. I don't remember those weird noises either. The EPSON on the other hand has self cleaning cycles after a set period of time, as programmed in the firmware.

But those noises you hear, is it during printer use or idle, it's kinda odd, maybe the printer is doing some self maintenance / clean I don't know, I'm not too familiar with HP, I've used only one model from HP and never again, I am so happy since I switched brands, even though EPSON has its other headaches, but the quality of prints is great.

If your printer is printing normally, then I guess it's fine, what you are hearing could be mechanical noise, but you shouldn't be hearing it frequently like that without printer use, so yeah the worse that can happen, something will give in eventually, maybe electric fire, maybe the carriage will fly out its rail, a few gears will fly in the air or maybe the noise will stop and you might get a dead printer. Or maybe there is a hidden spider in the gears or bug, that is shorting your printer and making it go haywire

Quote:
YES, Keurig. It is internet/bluetooth connected. It has a clock that is always lit and displays
the internet signal bars, like a smart phone. I can also change the water colors and other
options. I can only fathom they are checking to see how many coffee pods I drink per day.
Who knows, they may even know the kind of coffee I drink. It comes with the APP I had to
download.

Exactly, I really cannot imagine what other purpose a coffee maker would need to be connected online
Yeah it probably is measuring your activity, I really don't know. What I really wonder is what SMART Toilet bowls do exactly...... I heard of SMART fridges that tell you when you are missing something

As far as y our SMART Keurig, maybe it's not logging any data, SMART does not mean it is sending info to the internet, it just means it has connectivity and allows you to interface with other devices on the same network. It could be that it simply allows you set TIMERS and events at specific times - so for example you set the time at a specific hour and minute to start the coffee, etc, and all this controlled through an APP on your phone. Oh yeah I have a SMART blood pressure monitor, it allows me to send readings from the device to my phone, so I'm thinking maybe it is the same thing with SMART coffee machines, it allows you to control events through an app, on the same WIFI network.

As far as SMART toilets, maybe it has auto flush or SELF cleaning, that would be nice 2 modes, self cleaning + something else cleaning, sort of an automatic bidet

Quote:
Eventually, one will find themselves tip toeing around inside their own home.

Eventually ALL new homes and buildings will have SMART connectivity you may decide to use it or not use it, but apparently those who decide NOT to use it will be miserable All this technology is making humans LAZY.
Now you have SMART remotes where you just ask them to change the channels or do stuff, pretty soon you will ask your robot to bring you a cup of tea (or coffee for the coffee drinkers ) the machines will be more active physically than us !

The only smart thing that is useful to me is my google mini and my bedroom because I
can tell it what time to wake me up instead of setting my alarm clock. The only thing that
annoys me is when I tell it to wake me up and it tells me to say 'bedtime' to get a restful
sleep.

'Hey Google wake me up at 7 am'
Ok Valerie, your alarm is set for 7 am. Hey Valerie, next time say 'bedtime' to get a restful sleep.

'Hey Google, bedtime'

chirp chirp chirp chirp chirpyyyy chirp chirp

'Hey Google, SHUTUP'

In other words, 'bedtime' is like being on a very bad camping trip during cicada year.

My HP printer is sending information to HP about my usage and ink flow. When my ink gets low,
they automatically send ink thru the postal mail.

My Keurig, yep, I am pretty sure it is recording my coffee habits.....such as how much coffee
I drink. I have some pods I don't like. My sister brought me some variety flavored pods and
I don't like flavored coffee. I am thinking about running those pods thru the keurig ten times
each morning until they're all gone. Keurig will think I am drinking ten cups of coffee each
morning.

Smart toilets they say save water. The funny thing about that tho is they say they use
electricity so one can say 'Stupid Toilet'.

Not too sure how the conservationist would see that as any help to our eco systems.

In my town, I pay a set price every month for water. My water, trash, sewage fee is
all on the same bill. People are allotted set up amount of water usage and if you go
over than your water bill would be higher. It's just me so I never even come close
to using the allotment monthly amount. I use water outside and wash the vehicle,
water plants, spray off the driveway, etc.

I do miss well water. I drink well water from the tap but I don't drink city water from
the tap.

I will say most of the so called smart stuff they have today is nothing more than a
money grabber. Just something else for people to blow their money on and serve
no real purpose and often more trouble than not.