I notice you use Gmail. Are you not more worried about what google does
with that massive wealth of personal data (all your mail)? If you have an
android phone then the whole shopping lens thing is tiny compared to what
googe tracks from your phone...
Anton
--
Anton Piatek
(sent from my phone, please excuse any typos)
http://www.strangeparty.com
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On 13 Dec 2012 16:07, "Russell Gadd" <russ.mail.lists@???> wrote:
> On 12/12/12 10:06, Anton Piatek wrote:
>
> ....
>
> Canonical is a company and has a right to turn a profit. It also pays
> developers, so needs to fund that somehow.
> Unless you are prepared to start donating to Canonical, this seems like a
> reasonable way to make some money. They anonymise all input data so that
> amazon etc can't tell who it is from and do not store it. There are still
> some privacy issues but I am told these are being worked on, and even the
> EFF has raised the points so it isn't like it is a secret.
>
> If you want a really open, properly free (libre) operating system then you
> should be looking at Debian as it is the only linux I know of that has a
> goal of free software and is serious about it -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debian_Free_Software_Guidelines
> I really admire Debian for it's goals of completely free software, and if I
> were to donate to any linux it would be Debian, despite most of my machines
> now being Ubuntu.
>
> Anton
>
>
>
>
> It seems reasonable but although at present the data is to be used
> anonymously, that isn't really enough for people to be disadvantaged.
>
> I see it as a dangerous marketing tool. For example I buy groceries at
> Ocado and I noticed these statement that they make on their web site:
>
>
> http://www.ocado.com/webshop/content/ws5/customerServices/termsAndConditions/voucherTerms
>
> "Will all customers receive the same offer?
>
> Ocado may from time to time run different customer offers or Vouchers,
> with different terms (including amounts, types and expiry dates). Ocado
> reserves the right to limit the applicability of any particular offer to
> specific regions or delivery areas. Different offers and Vouchers may be
> run simultaneously."
>
> Also here:
>
> http://www.ocado.com/webshop/content/ws5/customerServices/policies/privacypolicy
>
> "Sometimes we send offers to selected groups of Ocado customers on behalf
> of other businesses"
>
> So there's obviously some targeting with different areas receiving better
> terms than others. When will this be drilled down to individual consumers?
> It is said that information gathered from cookies can very accurately paint
> a picture of an individual. I don't know if they can link this to an email
> address.
>
> So coming back to Ubuntu, is this the thin end of the wedge? If Canonical
> were to stop using the data anonymously how would people be made aware of
> it - in some small print?
>
> It's worrying, but there's no easy choice. I agree that unless you are
> using software developed by enthusiasts giving their time for nothing (e.g.
> Debian), there has to be a mechanism to pay for it. Advertising is one way.
> I don't like adverts (their basic ethical approach is like lawyers
> presenting a case in court - no balanced view) and they are getting into my
> subconscious even if I think I'm making rational choices. However this is
> another method of raising finance, and I'd prefer adverts to data gathering.
>
> Unfortunately what I'd prefer isn't going to change anything. I shop on
> the internet. Whether Canonical do this won't stop the data gathering. It's
> already too late, so I guess they might as well get in on the act. We might
> think we are masters of our destiny, but if we choose to live in the modern
> world we are at the mercy of big corporates whether we like it or not,
> using Debian or Ubuntu.
>
> --
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