this post was submitted on 02 Aug 2023
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Liftoff!
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I would rather not normalize closed source software. Might as well just go back to Reddit.
Ah yes, closed source software, definitely not a normal, common occurance. Better not normalize it otherwise most of the world might end up using some kind of closed source software daily!
I, for one would rather actively work to de-normalize it!
There, is that written accurately enough for you?
I should clarify. I don't want to normalize it... In the FOSS sphere (Lemmy).
But also you really shouldn't flout how frequently your data is pillaged and sold out. Its an embarrassing look.
I for one use exclusively FOSS software outside of my banking app.
None of my data is being taken by Sync.
A lot of your data is being taken and shared by your bank.
Different people will place different levels of importance to obsessively chasing privacy - which is fine. Your constant attempt in this post to make your views on the importance of FOSS somehow a morally superior choice is the only embarrassing thing so far.
Do you know yourself for a fact that no data is being taken by Sync itself?
And its a fact that Google and Firebase are taking your data. Even if Sync itself doesn't collect any data, it uses Google products (as stated in their Privacy Policy which I'm 1000% you did read), and any and all google products will take your data.
That's the point of using a FOSS client, if it collected data people would know, the code is public. And the data collection can be removed, since the code is public.
Even outside of data collection or privacy, which clearly you don't care about, we should avoid giving Google more power. Look at manifest v3 or the web integrity API. That affects not only your privacy, but your security and ability to use the internet. And not only yours, but the whole world
Yes. You might be surprised, but given how I control my own network, I don't actually need access to the source code to discover if Sync is collecting data.
Unless you're somehow worried about Sync collecting a ton of data and never sending it anywhere, which would be a ridiculous claim.
As for Google... Yeah, I'm sure on my Android device, the one where I sync my photos to Google Photos and my files to Google Drive, Sync is most definitely the way Google is collecting my data.
But just as an addendum, you're indeed doubly wrong. When I enable my subscription, Sync only contacts Google when checking the subscription status. No crashlogs or similar data being shared here.
Well, you are just one of the (majority of) people who apparently don't care about being tracked by google. Me personally, others in the comments and maybe OP don't use anything google related, have custom ROMs without gapps and avoid Google like the plague. So it is a concern for us, using Sync would open the door to google tracking.
Others have pointed out that even if you pay for pro, Sync still requires Play Services.
You seem to happily Google products, so my point wouldn't apply to you. I just thought that most people would be concerned about google and tracking and fingerprinting and all that stuff, since we are in Lemmy and the Liftoff sub.
No disagreements here. Notice how none of my comments in this entire chain oppose what you wrote.
Firebase is typically a dependency for key app features. If the app still works 100%, you're probably not even blocking the traffic.
Using Google Drive/Photos is just another problem. Amazing to me people keep bringing that up like a "you're a hypocrite" trump card.
You're incorrect, the API isn't even loaded for subscribers.
And no, for me using Google Photos isn't a problem - it's a really nice solution.
Subjectivity, isn't it great?
What API isn't loaded for subscribers? Firebase?
"It's not a problem because I choose to ignore the downsides"
Morals have nothing to do with it. Im, quite plainly, saying that is is pretty stupid to put your data into closed source apps.
Only ignorant people do that.
The only reason I use my bank app is because its literally required to exist in America. If it were up to me, it wouldn't be.
Yeah, most of the world is massively dumb, but you're a genius. It must be hard getting inside a bus with such a massive brain poking out.
Most of the world is by definition ignorant of data privacy.
Absolutely.
It doesn't take a genius to understand it, just someone who is not ignorant.
But, by all means, continue to give your data to whoever you want to.
But you don't actually know what code is running on a given lemmy server. Just because the source is open, doesn't mean that any given server is using the reference implementation, admins could be running whatever they want on their backend.
That's why it's imperative that the app which communicates with the server via Lemmy's api, IS open and auditable. That's how we prevent maligned actors from using data they shouldn't have. You can audit what is being sent from an open source app.
Christ, closed source is not the devil, and if you treat it like it is then it shows you don't actually know how open or closed source works, or the pros and cons of both types of software.
Let's break it down this way. Let's look at incentive structure's.
An Open Source application can be forked, and has no incentive to use data in a maligned way.
A closed one can earn tons of money by doing just that.
As I argue with most things, Capitalism is the main issue and it permeates through all facets of life by having backwards incentive structures
God forbid a developer wants to own the code they write and be able to pay their bills doing it.
A fork "can be used" to stab someone in the jugular but it doesn't mean we need to get rid of all forks to ensure it never happens. People need to be smart with who they trust and who they give their money to. LJ isn't putting a gun to your head and forcing you to buy his app, but I'm gladly paying for it because I feel like he's an upstanding guy and frankly he's just better at building a good UI than anyone else on Lemmy (and yes, I've tried at least 5 different apps. Second best was Connect.)
I would rather not normalize software that looks and works like a high school project made by someone who doesn't know what UI or UX are.
UI UX Can be fixed tho.
You like eating shit?
Closed source enthusiasts sure seem to.