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Threads collects so much sensitive information it’s a ’hacker’s dream,’ experts say
(nationalpost.com)
this post was submitted on 16 Jul 2023
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I mean, yeah, but this is also true compared to writing your thoughts down in a paper journal or a self-hosted WordPress blog. Comparing it to Mastodon is only meaningful if you're specifically evangelizing for Mastodon. You're preaching to the choir here.
Your source touches on this, but a more meaningful comparison would be the social networks that are already being used by the same demographic. Is Threads use of data excessive or unusual compared the existing apps from Meta or its direct peers? How does it compare to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tiktok, Snapchat, etc.? How does it compare to ubiquitous Google apps like YouTube, Gmail, Chrome, etc?
Yeah, excessive tracking is Not Good, but it's nowhere near unique to Threads.
The cybersecurity startup the parent article is built around, Protexxa, have their own Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. as does its founder and CEO.
So what's the point of the article? Why Threads? Why now?
Personally, I think it says a lot that they can’t release it in the EU yet because it gathers so much data. Plus, we know Meta can’t be trusted with people’s data. It’s gathering more than other Meta apps and need to be aware of it.
As far as I know, they didn't want to rush it out in the EU because they didn't know if they'd fall foul of rules or not and they couldn't wait weeks or months just to find out. Not because they can't. Though, ironically, I think federation would cause the biggest problems. (How do you support the right to be forgotten when it's not technically possible?)
I kept a blog for ten years, I didn't write down my health info, my contact info, and my financial info on it.
And attention is being paid to Threads because yes, the access to health info is unusal. Other social media apps haven't asked for that unless they were specifically fitness apps.
It's bad that other ones track stuff, but it's not just stuff anyone puts on the internet just by being there, and they ARE taking an unprecedented step here.
That was my point. It isn't that Mastodon is the alternative to Threads, it's just an alternative. The are plenty of systems of sharing short status updates with people that won't involve as many privacy threats.
Instagram also collects health info, which it has no intrinsic need for. This is important to note because, fundamentally, Threads is Instagram. That's why it collects the same data.
I don't have an Instagram. Man, that's intrusive. I'm glad Threads is getting people to call attention to it.