Google 'Covi-19 Exposure Logging

[newfhouse]

What was irritating was the way they just slipped it on the phone, said hardly anything about it and didn't give us a choice on whether we had it or not, makes me wonder what else is on there.

You weren’t asked about any of the other APIs either. Do you inspect every OS update before installing? Why is this one in particular worrying you?

 

[Deleted member 1258]

You weren’t asked about any of the other APIs either. Do you inspect every OS update before installing? Why is this one in particular worrying you?

I'm not worried, most of the APIs on the phone should be to do with stuff I use, but if they can sneak stuff like this on to the phone it makes me wonder what else is on there.

 

[newfhouse]

I'm not worried, most of the APIs on the phone should be to do with stuff I use, but if they can sneak stuff like this on to the phone it makes me wonder what else is on there.

They‘re not very clever at sneaking if they announce it and then put it in the settings menu...

 

[Deleted member 1258]

They‘re not very clever at sneaking if they announce it and then put it in the settings menu...

When was the announcement? I didn't hear one. How many people delve into the settings on their phones? I only came across this when I read an online newspaper article about it, if the article hadn't told me where to look for it I wouldn't have known about it.

 

[snorri]

It didn't take Google long to get their act together when they heard that Johnson was going to set up his very own new covid warning system, they could see where that was going.

 

[newfhouse]

When was the announcement?

Some weeks ago. I don’t think it made it to the front page of the daily newspapers, mostly because it‘s not really much of a story.
https://www.msn.com/en-in/money/new...-is-how-contact-tracing-will-work/ar-BB14os1e
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020...rtner-on-covid-19-contact-tracing-technology/
https://blog.google/inside-google/c...le-google-exposure-notification-api-launches/

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Some weeks ago. I don’t think it made it to the front page of the daily newspapers, mostly because it‘s not really much of a story.
https://www.msn.com/en-in/money/new...-is-how-contact-tracing-will-work/ar-BB14os1e
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020...rtner-on-covid-19-contact-tracing-technology/
https://blog.google/inside-google/c...le-google-exposure-notification-api-launches/

So most people would have been unaware of it.

 

[Drago]

You weren’t asked about any of the other APIs either. Do you inspect every OS update before installing? Why is this one in particular worrying you?

They all concern me, even if only on principle at the moment, hence not carrying a government-cum-big business tracking device wherever I go. The end of the wedge is thin, but its already being pushed firmly home.

 

[newfhouse]

So most people would have been unaware of it.

Probably, but in the same way that they are unaware of - and don’t generally care about - the content of other updates. If you want to remain irritated by this particular one, crack on, but maybe consider reviewing your auto-update settings so you can research first.

 

[newfhouse]

They all concern me, even if only on principle at the moment, hence not carrying a government-cum-big business tracking device wherever I go. The end of the wedge is thin, but its already being pushed firmly home.

Fine, that’s a reasonable position to take. There’s lots to consider about the trade we make between convenience, entertainment and subservience, the unequal power between individuals and the advert-industrial complex, and various governments hoovering up masses of data.

That’s not been the focus of this discussion so far.

 

[srw]

if the article hadn't told me where to look for it I wouldn't have known about it.

That is the job of journalism - to turn announcements from companies into announcements to the public.

If you're worried about this one, just wait until you discover there's a feature on your phone which enables Google to know exactly where you are, and another to create and send personal messages direct to your phone.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

That is the job of journalism - to turn announcements from companies into announcements to the public.

If you're worried about this one, just wait until you discover there's a feature on your phone which enables Google to know exactly where you are, and another to create and send personal messages direct to your phone.

I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[Drago]

That’s not been the focus of this discussion so far.

But it is now.

I have a plain old dumb phone, a JCB builders phone that can survive the abuse thrown at it. I only swtich it on when I want to make a call. I am not inconvenienced one little bit, and certainly do not feel inconvenienced in the slightest.

Best of all, I don't need to start becoming concerned when someone starts sneaking little bits of software onto my device that I'm not happy about - in that regard it's actually very convenient for me indeed.

 

[AndyRM]

But it is now.

I have a plain old dumb phone, a JCB builders phone that can survive the abuse thrown at it. I only swtich it on when I want to make a call. I am not inconvenienced one little bit, and certainly do not feel inconvenienced in the slightest.

Best of all, I don't need to start becoming concerned when someone starts sneaking little bits of software onto my device that I'm not happy about - in that regard it's actually very convenient for me indeed.

Alexa, play me Drago telling us how he doesn't have a smartphone again. That's always funny.

 

[Drago]

You could ask Alexa, if I had one in a room that I access. There's one in the wife's study, but I never venture there.

You may think it's funny, but I'm not the one being tracked and controlled. i'll be the one laughing as this becomes more and more insidious.