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.

    • Vlarb
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      79 months ago

      I see it as good reason to distance myself from all of these mega data harvesting corporations to the best of my ability. Same goes for meta and tiktok. Why bicker about which is worst when they all are varying degrees of terrible?

      • Kbin_space_program
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        49 months ago

        Yup. It’s a slow process for me, but honestly the fediverse is proving a great resource for that.

        • @[email protected]
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          19 months ago

          You know they can suck up Activity Pub and sell that too, right?

          The only difference on the fediverse is that all of them can mine the data, instead of just one of them.

        • Vlarb
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          09 months ago

          It takes some effort, but this is untrue. You can easily degoogle many phones with a privacy oriented OS. If you want to avoid Apple, make sure you’re not buying an iphone. Install Linux on your computer and use libre open source programs, a privacy oriented email and messaging app. If you need to watch youtube, at least use a proper front end for it. I don’t think anyone needs facebook or tiktok, I’ve been able to just walk away from those without alternatives.

          There are manageable approaches to distance yourself almost entirely from these spy companies if you really want to. You can do it slowly, or pick one company at a time to get away from. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing, and even small steps in the right direction are beneficial to your privacy.

      • Kbin_space_program
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        -19 months ago

        As a percentage of population, so did Julius Caesar.

        The reality is that Google is entirely dependent on ads and selling your data.

        Apple and Microsoft, it’s just a happy side gig they can do.

        Apple makes its money selling mediocre hardware and software for a premium markup.
        Microsoft makes money selling Windows, Office(+Teams) and Azure to business users then from video games, then ad revenue.

          • Kbin_space_program
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            09 months ago

            Oh I got your point, but I also reject it. Google is objectively making the internet worse.

            There isn’t any reasonable comparison to Apple or MS outside of they’re all too big and too unregulated.