WHO

[Murox]

You're right. It's not happening.

O yes it is!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Never happened to me. My daughter tells me that extra lens on my new iPhone does something which I might be concerned about.
Apple tells me every day how many trackers it's prevented

 

[The Poot]

Never happened to me. My daughter tells me that extra lens on my new iPhone does something which I might be concerned about.
Apple tells me every day how many trackers it's prevented

It’s how many it hasn’t prevented, that is the issue.

 

[Murox]

Never happened to me. My daughter tells me that extra lens on my new iPhone does something which I might be concerned about.
Apple tells me every day how many trackers it's prevented

It’s how many it hasn’t prevented, that is the issue.

Doesn't that make Apple the biggest 'tracker' of all? I reckon most trackers come from just a few of the more common 'names' in the industry masqueradeing as helpful apps you just cant do without. For example who in their right mind would trust an app with their passwords and sensitive data and keep them all in one place? makes it a prime target for any malicious software. Just putting my tin hat on again.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Doesn't that make Apple the biggest 'tracker' of all?

or the biggest risk

When we were researching/preparing for (the still to be rolled out) next generation in communications for us there was a meeting of international security, law enforcement and intelligence in Geneva, followed by a reciprocal invite hosted by us in London. The one thing that everyone agreed on was that the biggest security risk, and to avoid at all costs was apple and Iphones

 

[madasafish]

Goodness ... we really are in Big Brother territory now ... only a short step to the Thought Police !!

It's simple. Cookies saved.. harvested.. used by others to display ads you have looked at.
See Daily Mail on line as a classic example. Looked at shoes? Cars elsewhere.. Ads on D Mail..
It is real Big Brother.

Of course if you use a secure VPN and no cookies you will be safe: but many sites do not work properly..

 

[Swarm]

Having worked in the communications business for over forty years, I'm fully aware that what we consider new technology is actually old hat.
I'd heard all manner of stories about smart TV's and it wouldn't surprise me if half of it held some truth. BT was compelled to remove all Huawei equipment due to security risks. Massive undertaking as the initial fibre roll out was all Huawei technology.
All I can say is the rat business was just a conversation and way, way too random to suddenly get ads about dealing with rats. I certainly did no searching for a remedy, I have two Patterdales for that.

 

[plain_hunt]

I've just put into google Alexa tracking conversations into adverts, the first thing that came up -
https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/28/23047026/amazon-alexa-voice-data-targeted-ads-research-report

 

[Erichalfbee]

Is it worth getting a VPN?

 

[roche]

Is it worth getting a VPN?

No, just cut the wires to the microphones...

 

[JamezF]

Is it worth getting a VPN?

For most people, probably not. I don't know what's possible on mobile phones, but on my desktop I have ghostery installed in Firefox and have the browser configured it to throw away all cookies when it shuts down. There are minor inconveniences, like not "remembering" that I have logged into a website (such as this one) so I have to log in every time I start Firefox, but I can live with that.

My phone I tend not to worry about too much because I don't use it a lot. Mostly for phone calls. Apparently you can do that with a smart phone. They don't just run apps. Who knew?

It's disconcerting that the likes of Apple, Microsoft and Google seem to want to "own" everything you do online these days. The adage that if you're not paying for the product then you are the product is more true now than it ever was.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've just put into google Alexa tracking conversations into adverts, the first thing that came up -
https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/28/23047026/amazon-alexa-voice-data-targeted-ads-research-report

do people who depend on 'Alexa' have much of a personality?

 

[Curly green finger's]

do people who depend on 'Alexa' have much of a personality?

Yes

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes

Some?

 

[Curly green finger's]

Some?

Multiple,loads,the odd few

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

the odd few

odd being an appropriate word

 

[rossbyjove]

For most people, probably not. I don't know what's possible on mobile phones, but on my desktop I have ghostery installed in Firefox and have the browser configured it to throw away all cookies when it shuts down. There are minor inconveniences, like not "remembering" that I have logged into a website (such as this one) so I have to log in every time I start Firefox, but I can live with that.

My phone I tend not to worry about too much because I don't use it a lot. Mostly for phone calls. Apparently you can do that with a smart phone. They don't just run apps. Who knew?

It's disconcerting that the likes of Apple, Microsoft and Google seem to want to "own" everything you do online these days. The adage that if you're not paying for the product then you are the product is more true now than it ever was.

James

I use Firefox as well.
Very good browser.
Refuse to have apps on my phone and Alexa and Siri will be shot on sight if I see them walking up my garden path.
Also got medieval on the ads and turned most of them off.
Rarely see any now.
They made it as hard as possible to do !!!

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

I have ghostery installed

Something else I've learned here