WTF Google Android!!! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: AlfBaz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 09:51:06 am
content: A couple of weeks back we were at our local pub when we heard a bit of a raucous comming from the gaming room (pokie room) Some guy had won a substantial amount on one of the linked machines. Having never seen such a large amount of money being won on a poker machine I took a couple of pictures and a very short video with my android phone.I had completely forgoten about it until today when i was looking through my "gallery". I looked at the pics and played the video with the built-in android video player.About 10 minutes later i started the youtube app and on the top half of the screen was an add for a slots(poker machine) game.I understand we're being tracked on line but are u telling me google services is combing through my personal files fishing for advertising insites?There are no game apps at all on my phone, never typed or had anything to do with gaming machines on my phone so I'm left to believe it hast to do with my personal photos and videosThis has to be a violation of something serious somewhere and if not it should be

author: MarkS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 10:14:05 am
content: The Android OS has access to all of your files on your device and is controlled by Google. It is more likely than not that your files are being collected and disseminated directly on your device or through Google Drive. Of course, this would be an "automated" system and no human has access to your files or some similar nonsense.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 10:21:54 am
content: It probably detected the location where you took the photo.

author: MarkS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 10:34:24 am
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on April 17, 2017, 10:21:54 amExcept he was at a bar. Wouldn't a beer ad have been more appropriate?

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 10:35:46 am
content: Quote from: MarkS on April 17, 2017, 10:34:24 amThere's more money in gaming

author: MarkS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 10:41:00 am
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on April 17, 2017, 10:35:46 amTrue, but not all bars have slot machines. Not all jurisdictions allow gambling. All bars serve beer. This would be akin to me taking a picture of my girlfriend in a fancy restaurant and getting engagement ring ads and having it be right. This is a level of indirect reasoning that is out of the realm of current AI. How is it making the correlation based solely on location, especially considering the content of the ad matched the content of the images?

author: AlfBaz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 10:46:40 am
content: Quote from: MarkS on April 17, 2017, 10:14:05 amI don't use any cloud storage. I am aware that google (and not me!) has root access to my device, unless I root it but the implication here is that google is spending advanced image processing time to ascertain the contents of an image/video simply to provide add services. How many trigger happy android users do you think there are taking pics out there? This doesn't make senseQuote from: mikeselectricstuff on April 17, 2017, 10:35:46 amThe money, for google, is in whoever is paying for the advertisement. At any rate "I" never enable gps. GSM (or whatever it's called these days) triangualtion with precision can be done but as far as I'm aware, only by police in emergencies. Wifi was on but I don't connect to any hotspots ever. Are you identifiable by simply having wifi on?

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 10:51:43 am
content: Quote from: MarkS on April 17, 2017, 10:14:05 amYes, the OS does by nature of design, but there is no conspiracy. Google doesn't have access to your data (and your phone isn't doing any image processing on behalf of Google) unless you explicitly allow it or fail to opt-out of targeted advertising.Tighten your security settings, use a browser/plug-in such asGhosteryand be careful what you post online or in the cloud.I run Android and it can be one of the most secure mobile OS's out there... if you know what you're doing.

author: AlfBaz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 10:53:49 am
content: Quote from: MarkS on April 17, 2017, 10:41:00 amAs far as I can tell, there is not a single pub/club in Australia that doesn't have some sort of gaming area. Russel Crowe's South Sydney leagues Club tried it for a while but that failed

author: MarkS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 10:56:08 am
content: Quote from: AlfBaz on April 17, 2017, 10:46:40 amFrom my understanding, Google has advanced algorithms that can do this in real time with minimal computational effort. The full resolution of the image is not needed and it could be down sampled to a much lower resolution and still give accurate results. It may be possible to accomplish this on the device itself during periods of inactivity. It would be worth the R&D costs to serve targeted ads to any Android user based on pictures they take. Think of how many times you use your camera. You typically take pictures of things that matter to you. It's a data goldmine.Quote from: AlfBaz on April 17, 2017, 10:53:49 amQuote from: MarkS on April 17, 2017, 10:41:00 am

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 11:10:33 am
content: Quote from: AlfBaz on April 17, 2017, 10:46:40 amThat is only when you are trying to find a phone, the phone itself however can find it's position quite accurate by the relative strength of the various base stations.

author: AlfBaz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 11:13:12 am
content: Quote from: MarkS on April 17, 2017, 10:56:08 amThe bank accounts of all google users using google wallet is an actual goldmine. Doesn't mean they can swipe a few cents from each account now does it?There is a reasonable assumption by a user that personal data such as photos remain personal withoutexpressconsent from the user

author: AlfBaz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 11:16:11 am
content: Quote from: PA0PBZ on April 17, 2017, 11:10:33 amI can agree to that but the pub in question is very close to other shops etc and accuracy using relative strength of base stations would be greatly diminished given each station has varying degrees of attenuation when indoors in built up areas

author: MarkS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 11:16:43 am
content: Quote from: AlfBaz on April 17, 2017, 11:13:12 amUnfortunately, the reality is different. Depending on the laws of your country, Google may either require you to opt-in or opt-out. If it can require you to opt-out, then failing to do so is considered consent.

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 11:19:43 am
content: Quote from: AlfBaz on April 17, 2017, 11:16:11 amSure, until you build a database from the data that was collected by everyone that have their Wi-Fi and GPS on all the time

author: AlfBaz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 11:35:14 am
content: Quote from: MarkS on April 17, 2017, 11:16:43 amConsumer protection laws in Australia are quite strong when it comes to retail, however, I agree with your assessment of the situation as I don't think this would strictly come under consumer law and which ever laws govern this sort of thing are probably not on par with the former.If there is an opt out it's very well hidden and/or obfuscated since I certainly can't find it. If I turn everything off that looks even slightly suspicious I'll have to stop using google play movies, gmail and other "essential" services, some of which I pay for

author: eugenenine
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 04:10:02 pm
content: You could always just not sign in to google. You can load applications from other sources such as f-droid, set up your own sync/backup server, etc. Android is at least flexible enough to work that way.

author: Kilrah
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 04:15:40 pm
content: Quote from: MarkS on April 17, 2017, 10:41:00 amYeah but that's exactly why Google can distinguish themselves in the advertising world, instead of selling a beer ad like anyone else they're able to charge A LOT more to sell a targeted gambling ad when they can guarantee it'll reach someone who was in a bar that is in a jurisdiction that allows gambling and that is known to have slot machines.