Comment on Brave browser blocks Windows feature that takes screenshots of everything you do on your PC

Tattorack@lemmy.world ⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

• Alaknar@sopuli.xyz ⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Do you consider any form of telemetry “spyware”?

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  • Fijxu@programming.dev ⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I don’t think taking screenshots of everything you do every few seconds is telemetry.

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    • Alaknar@sopuli.xyz ⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      It’s not, but it’s also not spyware - it’s local, encrypted, AND optional.

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      • ifmu@lemmy.world ⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Microsoft is known for making things “optional” at first then eventually forcing it down everyone’s throats. Removing offline accounts is one of them.

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      • veni_vedi_veni@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Optional like how it reminds me every 3 days that it wants my info for “customization” purposes, and I can only sleep the notification for another 3 days instead of telling it to fuck off?

        They have been so predatory, at this point no one should see anything they do as benefiting end users.

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      • Landless2029@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Actual optional things are disabled by default.

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  • Tattorack@lemmy.world ⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    You consider actual, literal spyware as being merely telemetry?

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    • Alaknar@sopuli.xyz ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      What are you talking about now?

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      • ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        I believe they are talking about Windows, an OS that is spyware and no one should use

        An example of Windows being spyware not standard telemetry is the Recall feature. A feature that doesn’t just tell you how the OS is used but actually takes screenshots every few seconds

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  • WolfLink@sh.itjust.works ⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Honestly it largely is.

    Personally I like sharing crash reports, but even then, the user should be able to turn that off if you like.

    Telemetry should be 100% opt-in.

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    • Alaknar@sopuli.xyz ⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Honestly it largely is.

      I mean, by definition, it isn’t.

      It’s anonymous and not malicious in nature. It’s a diagnostic and engagement measuring tool.

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      • WolfLink@sh.itjust.works ⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        diagnostic

        I think it is useful to send crash reports, but the user should have power over it (see: when macOS generates a crash report, it asks the user if they would like to send it)

        engagement measuring

        That is your data they are taking to make money off of without your consent, and I consider that malicious. There are ways to do that with consent. See: Steam’s annual hardware survey

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      • Tattorack@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        And how do you know it’s not malicious in nature? I’d like to know what your definition of “malicious” is if you’re just fine with letting a Corpo run system look at everything you’re doing.

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      • pogmommy@lemmy.ml ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        not malicious in nature

        Haha, sure thing William

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  • kepix@lemmy.world ⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    how the hell do you not?

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    • Alaknar@sopuli.xyz ⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I don’t know, maybe because I understand the definition of “spyware” and “telemetry”?

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      • ThirdConsul@lemmy.ml ⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Well, semantically yes, not all telemetry is spyware. However regarding Windows telemetry it’s indistinguishable from spyware - you have no idea nor control over the data gathered, measured and processed.

        The crux is that Windows telemetry is opt out, opting out can’t be done during installation, and historically opting out wasn’t sticky. Additionally some Windows telemetry is still being sent despite opting out.

        That makes Windows telemetry fulfill all spyware criteria.

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