Upcoming Android privacy changes include ability to blank advertising ID, and 'safety section' in Play store

Google has shared details of upcoming changes to Android including the ability to blank a device's advertising ID, and a new safety section for apps in the Play store. The advertising ID is an identifier unique to an Android device which is supplied by Google Play Services. Since every app on that device can retrieve the same …

[Khaptain]

Zero Tracking

Can I please have an absolute zero tracking button please.

Nuff said.

[IGotOut]

Re: Zero Tracking

Google have taken note of this request..

Others suggesting this have also.....

[msknight]

Re: Zero Tracking

You could always try Sailfish.....

[elsergiovolador]

Re: Zero Tracking

But they will know you opted out. The tracking should only be "opt in".

[Version 1.0]

Re: Zero Tracking

Google: "Yes you can have zero tracking, just follow this link via Chrome to review your privacy policy, please note that by reviewing your privacy policy you are by accepting our terms and conditions"

[Anonymous Coward]

Golf clap for Google

While they certainly could be even better, I have to quietly applaud the fact that Google listened to a privacy advocate's complaint and acted on it.

It's not enough to get me to use Chrome instead of Firefox, but it's something.

[DS999]

Re: Golf clap for Google

Or maybe they considered how his lawsuit would fare in a European court and decided they better do something before GDPR fines force them to exit the entire EU market?

[Charlie Clark]

Re: Golf clap for Google

I suspect that they will also move to an "opt-in" approach given how this is approach favoured by both GDPR and the California legislation. But I do wish they'd allow me to log out of YouTube permanently!

They know already how easy it is to get people to sign up for things and sign away their privacy, they should make it easier for the < 10% that doesn't want to.

[elsergiovolador]

Re: Golf clap for Google

Chrome is not really a web browser any more. It's just an app to view your Google apps if you don't want to run them natively.

It is also useful to download Firefox if you have Chrome installed already.

[elsergiovolador]

Conflict of interest

Why CMA is not all over it?

Surely an advertising company is making such change out of their great heart.

The mobile operating system division should be split into a separate independent company.

[Pat 11]

Format of the "string of zeros"?

It's pretty simple to set your Ad Id to a new UUID:

NEWADID=$(cat /proc/sys/kernel/random/uuid)

sed -ri "s/[0-9a-fA-F]{8}-[0-9a-fA-F]{4}-[0-9a-fA-F]{4}-[0-9a-fA-F]{4}-[0-9a-fA-F]{12}/$NEWADID" </data/data/com.google.android.gms/shared_prefs/adid_settings.xml

At a guess, it will be set to UUID format made of zeros. Might try setting it to that now.

[elsergiovolador]

Re: Format of the "string of zeros"?

It should be a random number every time or dropped completely.

Zeroes give them an information that you are a user who opted out, which means they can target you with VPN ads or other junk targeted at privacy conscious people.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Format of the "string of zeros"?

Too much hassle. The easiest for them is to simply ignore whatever you selected, after all you're but a resource.

[Anonymous Coward]

Google's War Games

A strange game. The only winning move is not to play.