ACLU: Google is embarrassed by Android security, isn't protecting vulnerable users like Apple's iOS

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  • Reply 21 of 88
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,769member
    While Apple's chief executive Tim Cook has repeatedly <a href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/14/09/17/tim-cook-touts-new-apple-privacy-policies-in-open-letter-to-customers">taken</a> a staunch position on the side of Apple's customers and their rights to privacy, resisting efforts by government agencies or marketing firms to spy on users or collect inappropriate or excessive personally identifiable data for any reason, Google hasn't.

    DED surely knows that isn't true. They go to court challenging government requests for user data, were one of the first companies to publish a "transparency report" opening our eyes to the number times our government and others have tried to get their hands on our information and how many times they've had to comply. Google was also one of the first to put out a call to arms over further attempts by the US government to expand on its monitoring activities. Tim Cook's ability to get the attention of the press may garner him more popular articles, but Google has long pressed for more restrictions on government spying and monitoring of its own citizens. If Daniel spent the tiniest bit of time on the subject he would already know that, as I'm sure he does.

    Apple has done a great service by using its influence to call attention to privacy issues, but that does not mean Google isn't in the fight too.
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  • Reply 22 of 88
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,769member
    sog35 wrote: »
    paging GATORGUY

    paging GATORGUY
    Why? When you do that it comes off a bit trollish sounding. Familiar with baiting?


    I've always thought we should hang our collective hats on every opinion and pronouncement from any ACLU spokesperson. There's few organizations with such widespread respect so what can be said? Fortunately for those concerned ACLU folks the poor have little if anything left to steal so they're pretty safe.

    :\
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  • Reply 23 of 88
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member

    I love these statements

     

    Quote:


    Apple's efforts to protect the privacy of its users, including end-to-end encryption of their communications, effectively separates the company's more affluent iOS users from the poor and disadvantaged forced to use Android.




    Quote:


    Soghioan said this means "someone who uses a cheap Android device is a much easier target for law enforcement or intelligence agencies--which he argues are prone to abusing their surveillance powers,"




    Quote:


    "Google has by far the best security team of any company in Silicon Valley," Soghioan said, but added, "the security people I know at Google are embarrassed by Android."


     

     

    Yeah the governement will target the poor and uneducated and claim they catching the terroist but in reality they only catching the ones which do not matter.

     

    Yeah Google has some top level security people, but their sole job is to protect the data on their servers which they mined from your computer and phones. Yeah they protect your data, but only from their competitors, but and scam artist can still anything they like off your phone.

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  • Reply 24 of 88
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,759member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sziehr View Post

     

    I have made the case for a while now that google is less secure due to how they decided to handle the marketing of there platform. Microsoft at least pushes out patches system wide for there OS when major holes are found. Google can not even muster that level of security control. I can not abide that in a personal setting for my self, and certainly not in a professional setting. People always argue oh well there is nothing on my phone so what does it matter. This always leads me to trying to explain security is only as good as the weakest point of failure. This used to be the end users and there horrible 1234 password. Now the game has elevated to whole platforms that are insure by the consequence of a a business decision. 




    http://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1277322-microsoft-admits-windows-10-spying-cannot-be-disabled/

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  • Reply 25 of 88
    Used or not you can get a communication device that will put you in touch with entire world, video, audio, text... included, with end to end encryption for less then $100US including the latest version of iOS.

    Apple makes very good quality phones that last. My wife was using a 4s until recently and it was a great phone. Battery started to run short after 4 years of medium/hard use.

    I'll never buy an Android phone period! Encryption would stifle their data collection.

    When you get your services free, _you_ are the product!
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  • Reply 26 of 88
    As noted in the article, many of the cheap Android phones don't have adequate hardware to support encryption as Apple does it, while software encryption taxes performance too much. So it is switched off. The ability of Android engineers is not really the issue here.

    That Google compiles a database on each user and extracting commercial value from it is a separate issue. Its advertising business requires that, and would regardless of encryption. It is designed into the business model.

    Malware at the various Android app stores is a third problem that can partly be linked to the anything-goes attitude of many Android users and a preference by the typical Android user not to spend money on apps.
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  • Reply 27 of 88
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member

    I’m waiting for this story to be spun into an Apple negative. “Elitist Apple refuses to give iPhones to poor people so they can be safe!” or some such bullshit. Wait for it because it’s coming.

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  • Reply 28 of 88
    cornchip wrote: »
    iPhone 4S = $100

    You can still get it but refurbished from gazelle or Clyde for that or less
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  • Reply 29 of 88
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,178member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BobSchlob View Post

     

    You know…, I was all interested and excited to read this article when I saw the headline. But then I realized it's just a bunch of "class warfare" bullshit, blahblah blah.

    stopped reading. :no:




    Truth hurts...



    Buh-bye...

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  • Reply 30 of 88
    normmnormm Posts: 653member
    Quote:


     "The next civil rights movement will use the technology against which surveillance works best," he said, stating that protest movements 'don't typically start in society's upper socioeconomic echelons.'


     

    Historically, revolutions have been led by the upper class.  People who are well educated and have the luxury to think about politics.  Not the very richest who are at the top of the heap, but people who are not too far down.  He's right about most of the followers, though.

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  • Reply 31 of 88
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    normm wrote: »
     "The next civil rights movement will use the technology against which surveillance works best," he said, stating that protest movements 'don't typically start in society's upper socioeconomic echelons.'

    Historically, revolutions have been led by the upper class.  People who are well educated and have the luxury to think about politics.  Not the very richest who are at the top of the heap, but people who are not too far down.  He's right about most of the followers, though.

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  • Reply 32 of 88
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BobSchlob View Post

     



    Pretty sure they were using the term "brand new" as reference to "brand newest model". Rather than as a distinction from "used".




    If that's the case, then you can't compare the price of the 5s against the cheap entry level model androids either.  What they were trying to get across is that you can, from a store, purchase a brand new android device cheaper than any iPhone offering without subsidies or contracts. Yes, the entry level android phones are lesser phones than the iPhone 4, but that wasn't the point of contention.  people with no money want to buy new phones too, and if the iPhone is too expensive, they will buy the cheap crap.

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  • Reply 33 of 88
    bobschlobbobschlob Posts: 1,074member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sflocal View Post

     
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BobSchlob View Post

     

    You know…, I was all interested and excited to read this article when I saw the headline. But then I realized it's just a bunch of "class warfare" bullshit, blahblah blah.

    stopped reading. :no:




    Truth hurts...



    Buh-bye...




    You misunderstand me. I just didn't give a shit.

    The headline suggested it was about Android lack of security.

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  • Reply 34 of 88
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    "The phone used by the rich is encrypted by default and cannot be surveilled," Soghioan said, "and the phone used by most people in the global south and the poor and disadvantaged in America can be surveilled."

     

    I like that line. :smokey:

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  • Reply 35 of 88
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

     

    Nope. Brand new 5s is $450




    i think he means the 6s and 6plus s

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  • Reply 36 of 88
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    Most "organic" stuff is actually more dangerous...

    You are absolutely right. If use of organic foods spreads to the rich, ignorant, atavistic class, those who are now eating poison feedlot beef in the country clubs and the political fundraising dinners in flyover country, they may start living longer.

    Our future depends on their dying off as soon as possible.
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  • Reply 37 of 88
    dewmedewme Posts: 6,094member
    I'm surprised that an MIT branded media outlet would stray into an area that's so far off their core competency. It's like dinging inexpensive automobile manufacturers for not including all of the fancy safety features that the high end auto makers provide. What's their mission, Technology or sociology?
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  • Reply 38 of 88
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,769member
    The difference between encryption and security on iOS and Android isn't just a technical issue but a "digital security divide," according to the principal technologist for the American Civil Liberties Union. That's because Apple secures its devices while Google leaves Android open to data collection and surveillance.

    "The phone used by the rich is encrypted by default and cannot be surveilled," Soghioan said, "and the phone used by most people in the global south and the poor and disadvantaged in America can be surveilled."

    That's because "Apple sells luxury goods and Google gives away services for free in return for access to data," Soghioan said, highlighting that the difference wasn't purely technical but a corporate decision.
    Instead, Google has made tracking users and compiling data about their behaviors and activities a core part of its business model. That leaves encryption and privacy for Android an afterthought or even an obstacle.
    .
    DED stopped just short of mentioning that both new Nexus models sold by Google are encrypted by default, possibly omitting it because it didn't fit the storyline IMO. Google also requires all new smartphones shipping with Android M have it enabled out of the box. That would directly contradict Mr Dilger's statement that Google considers "encryption and privacy for Android an afterthought or even an obstacle".
    https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2015/10/21/new-android-marshmallow-devices-must-have-default-encryption-google-says/

    It's fair to mention that due to valid issues DED raised, older Android handsets receiving an update to the latest OS won't have the same requirement, tho it will be strongly suggested. In that arena Apple is far ahead.
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  • Reply 39 of 88
    bluefire1bluefire1 Posts: 1,318member

    When it comes to Apple vs. Android, you sure do get what you pay for.

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  • Reply 40 of 88
    blastdoor wrote: »
    Yeah, it's nice to have money. 

    I guess in some ways this is similar to the difference between a grass-fed organic steak and corn-fed hormone-filled beefazoid. 
    All meat in New Zealand is generally grassfed although many farmers top up over the winter with maize or swedes
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