6mo ago

Why does my treadmill want my email address?

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329 comments

No, lightbulb, I won't give you my location
(actually happened)
- I think it was requested on mine for the sunrise/sunset feature, but let me just put in a zip code after I declined location access
  
  That and they can turn on when you get home after sunset. But they could do that with simple wifi connection or something. Unless your wifi is unstable I suppose.
  
  Or, you know, a photodiode.
  
  Or you use a VPN on your router
- For Android, the location permission was(is? not sure right now) basically required for anything that wanted WiFi or Bluetooth. As getting access to that, could in theory be used to locate you
  Not that this was necessarily the case here, but an explanation
  
  "required"
  Required by Google, yes, but not actually required in any functional sense of the word other than the function of spying on you in another insidious way. It worked without invasive permissions for a long time and you absolutely won't convince me it wouldn't now if data collection weren't a priority.
  (This isn't directed at you personally; apologies if it seems like it is.)
  
  Yeah, but the problem is, that app developers abused the WiFi/BT permission to locate people, without them knowing about it. So at some point the permission was changed to reflect the theoretical real world potential of abuse
  The downside is, that apps that don't actually require your location, will still need to ask for it
  
  Yep technically it's called coarse location which in theory tells apps what neighborhood you're in, but can be exploited by marketing to know if you're in front of a shop stand. At least it won't drain your battery with GPS usage.
  
  It works without it though. 🤔
- Lots of times devices need access to a thing called location just to detect certain kinds of Bluetooth. I don't know the specifics but it's a trend I've noticed. It might not be the fault of the light.
- Over my dead body

329 comments