I created a google takeout and in that zip file I found some files containing a ton of data about me. It has logged every single page I visited while using the google search engine and chrome browser. It even logged every single time I opened an app on my old android phone. It even has VOICE RECORDINGS of me and a log of every time I used google assistant. This is just some of the data and I’m very sure there is even more data they have.

  • tyler@programming.dev
    2216·
    10 months ago

    Fucking whataboutism. Apple and Microsoft aren’t ad companies. They’re hardware and software companies. They don’t have to collect data on you to literally make any money, Google does. If Google doesn’t track everything you do they’re incapable of making money. The same is absolutely not true for ms and Apple.

    • wall_inhabiter@lemdro.idEnglish
      126·
      10 months ago

      Whataboutism? Where did I say this makes what Google is doing better? They all work together. God you people are dense.

      Microsoft and Apple absolutely are ad companies lmfao.

      • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
        71·
        10 months ago

        Microsoft is a ad company and Apple locks you in so you only buy there proprietary products. I don’t see how they are better

        • phoneymouse@lemmy.world
          4·
          10 months ago

          In regards to how much data they collect from you, which is the topic of this discussion, I’d say they are better. Everyone likes to defend Google because they offer you cheap or free things, but the truth is that comes at the cost of them surveilling everything you do. That’s their business. This knee-jerk response to say “well, Apple does it too” is not only almost completely wrong, it misses the distinctions between the two companies and their business models. Also, even if Apple actually did collect as much data as Google that is not an argument to keep using Google products.

          • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
            11·
            10 months ago

            I don’t use Google, Apple or Microsoft products. My statement wasn’t intended to be a justification. I’m just saying Apple and Microsoft are no worse that Google

        • wall_inhabiter@lemdro.idEnglish
          11·
          10 months ago

          Apple is still an ad company they just want to cordon off their “private ad system” with their VPN products and hide my email shit. Don’t trust Apple at all myself

        • wall_inhabiter@lemdro.idEnglish
          23·
          10 months ago

          What you’re able to request from these companies officially is just the tip of the iceberg. The point is that between phone numbers, email reuse, google analytics etc with fingerprinting, and operating system telemetry, a complete picture is assembled of users.

          If you’re not looking for arguments and instead approaching things from understanding surveillance maybe my statements will make sense now.

          • kbotc@lemmy.worldEnglish
            4·
            10 months ago

            It is literally not the tip of the iceberg. I work in the industry, so lecturing me about data management platforms is asinine. Microsoft and Apple’s collection practices are minuscule compared to Google’s and DMPs are terrible at their jobs.

            • wall_inhabiter@lemdro.idEnglish
              12·
              10 months ago

              Lol? Way to discredit yourself as a clueless fucking rube. “I work in the industry and I take everything my employer says at face value” is not going to convince me bucko.

              Why don’t you start talking about Apple’s third party ad service servers if you think you know where all the data is going? They leak everything even if they don’t officially retain stuff. It’s all theatre for employees and regulators and the EU.