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Mobile OSs Ok, now this is creepy

Fernandez21

Fernandez21

macrumors 601
Original poster
Jun 16, 2010
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So for some reason after doing a google search I saw the link at the bottom to see my account and in it my search history, so I decided to take a look, expecting to see a history of my google searches and maybe YouTube. But what I found was that it also included everything I did on my android phone (S7). It shows what apps I'm using and when I uses them. Now this is creepy.
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I have an app on my Note 5 that tells how many times I plugged in the charger, used headphones and used the S Pen. Those are just the things this particular app has access too. Phones keep track of just about anything you do on them.
 
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Has anyone seen Dark Net on Showtime, season 2 premier? They was talking about how all this info is going straight to the R&D of A.I.
 
I7guy said:
Totally. You going to assume something that can't be proved any which way?
Click to expand...

I'm going to assume something that makes sense. Apple referred to it as an average, meaning it isn't just somebody who they contacted and threw an app on their phone. And take a look at the vague wording of the analytics they gather.

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I guess the creepy thing is that I was able to access this info on my iPhone logged into my google account. I get that my phones will keep an internal log of everything I do, but I always assumed that much like my computer, all that info stays on the phone and only if I authorize to send the log will some other party get access. The fact that action by action is sent out to Google who then stores it is kind of creepy.
 
Fernandez21 said:
I guess the creepy thing is that I was able to access this info on my iPhone logged into my google account. I get that my phones will keep an internal log of everything I do, but I always assumed that much like my computer, all that info stays on the phone and only if I authorize to send the log will some other party get access. The fact that action by action is sent out to Google who then stores it is kind of creepy.
Click to expand...

Not even Apple keeps app usage on the device.
 
I understand your concerns on this, honestly. I have an Android phone myself. When I first discovered my device usage page (like the screenshots you posted above) it shocked me a bit. I didn't think that individual actions such as opening apps or using Google Assistant would be tracked and written down.

I guess it's just weird to actually see your usage habits visualized, which is probably what takes the biggest adjustment. Mine and your usage habits on many of our devices and websites are all tracked and then put into analytics, charts, graphs, etc. It happens all the time. We just never see it visualized so we don't think anything of it. Except, in this particular case, you DO get to see it, so it seems creepy. Know what I mean?
 
Lloydbm41 said:
It also explains why Siri sucks as an AI, while Google Assistant is so good.
Click to expand...

Agreed. It's night and day difference with how good Google Assistant is and how far behind Siri is. Make sense in certain areas where Google collectively gathers data.
 
Tim Cook did say at some point or another that we consumers have no idea what kind of information gets logged about us and stored goodness knows where. He seemed creeped out at the idea so I don't think Apple does this to the degree that Google does.

It would not shock me to find out our intelligence agencies are involved somehow. The minutiae of so many relatively insignificant people would not be interesting to them, but that of targeted individuals would be.

For revenue generating purposes, we are all special and beloved and all our data is treasured. :p
 
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Fernandez21 said:
I guess the creepy thing is that I was able to access this info on my iPhone logged into my google account. I get that my phones will keep an internal log of everything I do, but I always assumed that much like my computer, all that info stays on the phone and only if I authorize to send the log will some other party get access. The fact that action by action is sent out to Google who then stores it is kind of creepy.
Click to expand...
Just checked mine, it seems you have to authorize it. There is not a single sign of an app I have opened, all its done is track my links opened in Chrome, YouTube and Searches, as well as my usage of Google Advertising tools like AdWords, Analytics, Search Console and DoubleClick Search.
 
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Tsepz said:
Just checked mine, it seems you have to authorize it. There is not a single sign of an app I have opened, all its done is track my links opened in Chrome, YouTube and Searches, as well as my usage of Google Advertising tools like AdWords, Analytics, Search Console and DoubleClick Search.
Click to expand...

I'll look into it tomorrow to see how to opt out.

I don't mind them knowing my search history, YouTube history, or even map searches because I'm using their service to find something so obviously that'll be stored and shown. But them logging when I use my alarm clock or take a picture is a little too much for me.
 
Fernandez21 said:
... but I always assumed that much like my computer, all that info stays on the phone and only if I authorize to send the log will some other party get access. The fact that action by action is sent out to Google who then stores it is kind of creepy.
Click to expand...

Settings -> Google -> personal info & privacy -> activity controls -> web & app activity -> off
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Michael Goff said:
Not even Apple keeps app usage on the device.
Click to expand...

(App usage)
Ios settings -> privacy -> diagnostics and usage -> automatically send

(Gps tracking)
Ios settings -> privacy -> location services -> system services -> frequent locations

"Find my iphone" will send Apple your location periodically and before it powers down.

^- looks like Apple does the same.
 
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