It was a gulp of agreement!
I think most people realise that using a digital device means that your digital data will be tracked and your privacy impinged. And as had been said throughout this thread, there have been privacy issues -- or straight up data compromisations/leaks -- across different vendors. I think it's a balancing game: using what you need to use in 2021, but being careful not to give away what you don't want to give away.
I think then it's right for people to perform a critical reflection on how their data is being used. Especially right now, as new privacy standards for ad tracking are being drawn up. Even Google is now working on a replacement to the cookies mechanic, supposedely in response to anger about privacy. (Though these proposals are also controversial...)
There are also third party organisations whose opinions can be counted on to help inform your decisions. For instance, the EFF has praised Apple for their anti-tracking technologies within Safari, while are very critical of Google's designs for FLoC. The Mozilla Foundation's 'Privacy Not Included' resource is pretty good too and notes both Apple and Google's shortcomings. As you'd probably expect, Apple normally comes out ahead in these kind of comparisons -- especially since they've started backing up their marketing materials with actual OS features (e.g. ATT). But Mozilla doesn't flatout tell you not to use Google products, just to be mindful of how it operates.
But then there's this Arizona story... which is pretty worrying. I've heard some takes on it that do downplay its 'oh no' factor a bit, but making it hard for users to turn off privacy guidelines is always a bad look. If we were to be more generous -- and describe this as internally realising that your privacy settings are difficult to comprehend and leading to incorrect user assumptions -- it's still bad that nothing was done by Google to fix this issue as a priority. Or if they needed location access for core OS features, then that should have been communicated clearly. Google really doesn't make it easy for it to feel like people can trust them.
I think this is the most persuasive reasoning I've heard for trusting Google. That they're still having to operate within the bounds of data protection law -- and that they'd never do anything to wild, as otherwise people would just stop using their stuff. Ideally, we'd want more stringent civic protections and more forceful regulatory bodies. Of everywhere, the EU from my understanding seems to be fighting for this the most.
I've ended up ditching the Pixel, at least for now. I've learnt a lot about privacy over the last week. I think I'd genuinely just feel happier using an Apple device, although I understand that advertising technologies will still most likely find some way to track me. I think I prefer Apple's bias towards on device data processing, whereas Android phones prefer phoning home and sending things up to your Google Account in the datacentre.
But is Apple perfect? No, they're not. Their stance towards Right to Repair is troubling. The lack of a headphone jack STILL IS INFURIATING (I don't want AirPods for many reasons, including environmental). There are some concerns over data privacy here too. But Apple also has less skin in the advertising game, so are more likely to do the things I'd like my device to do.
Don't know that much about Rossman, but in that linked video, when he talks about the lack of choice in mobile OS... he's right there.
