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godelski • today at 12:23 AM • 3 replies • view on HN

  > Serve ads without selling data?
They sell data. Why do you think they don't?

  > CC companies sell your data. Your telecom provider sells your data. Banks sell your data.
You're over simplifying. WHAT data being sold is a critical variable. Same with HOW MUCH. Not all data is created equally. Last I checked, my bank doesn't have real time access to my location. My bank doesn't know everyone I communicate with. Not even my telecom operator knows that! None of your examples know every person that is within ~100 ft of me at any given time.

Look, I don't like that the banks and telecoms have as much data as they do, but let's be serious here, Google has some very serious data on people. Don't be so glib.

  > Which is???
And don't get me started on all the other things. What they've done to the open web. Email. Smartphones. And much more. I don't know how you can think Google is just an ad company when I'm pretty sure you use so much more from them.

Replies

WarmWash • today at 1:52 AM

But what is the alternative, and why is it better?

An Apple-esque internet that gets you a full google-like suite of services, along with news and other general entertainment, all ad/tracking free, but for a cool $300/mo? User friendly, pro-consumer, but only for those who can afford it?

I genuinely struggle to say that a user friendly internet that cuts out 80% of the current global internet user base because they are too poor is a better system.

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what • today at 3:14 AM

> Not even my telecom operator knows that!

They sure do and certainly know who is within 100ft of you at any given time.

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dismalaf • today at 3:08 AM

> They sell data

Show me where I can buy it then?

Because I know where to buy CC data, for example...

> Not even my telecom operator knows that!

Lol: https://thingspace.verizon.com/services/hyper-precise-locati...