Farooq | فاروق [Master Patata]Apr 21, 2025

Alright I now regret using #Firefox. Not because #Mozilla did shoot with the source code. Because its blocker doesn't protect my #privacy. I also regret reading about ADHD on my Android phone on #Chrome or even having a normal #Android phone.

Last week I read about ADHD on the web using Android's stock Chrome, now Google ads is showing me advertisements about ADHD. Down with you Google.

If anyone cares about their privacy, they should avoid #Google like #plague It's a pity still people use the services it offers including the search engine.

The #Web has become a bad and creepy place. For now I'm switching to #LibreWolf.

Edit: Curid from Rust offtopic Matrix room suggested this:

https://coveryourtracks.eff.org/

For Firefox it says partial protection is provided and they can fingerprint my broswer.

#Tracking #trackingads #DataPrivacy #privacymatters

Cover Your Tracks

See how trackers view your browser

Show threadJan PenfratApr 9, 2025

#Schibsted argues they cannot rely on contextual ads "as long as advertisers don't pay the same money for them as they do for personalised ads."

Really, this is why banning #TrackingAds is so powerful a solution because it would take the harmful #RTB business model off the market.

EiderDec 18, 2024

'The company is called Fog Data Science, and its product uses location data harvested from smartphones either through ordinary apps or the advertising ecosystem. In 2022 the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) revealed Fog had sold its phone tracking technology to multiple U.S. agencies, including local police.'
https://www.404media.co/location-data-firm-offers-to-help-cops-track-targets-via-doctor-visits/

#spyware #spying #trackingads

Location Data Firm Offers to Help Cops Track Targets via Doctor Visits

Fog Data Science is a location tracking company that takes data harvested from smartphones and makes it accessible to cops. A document obtained by 404 Media shows the company explicitly says it will use doctors visits to unmask a target if needed.

404 Media
Jan PenfratDec 9, 2024

I know the outcome of the presidential election in #Romania has a web of complex reasons. But it would be ludicrous to ignore the dangerous impact that #bigtech's laissez-faire and its #trackingads and content #monetisation business model has. Not only #tiktok but also #google and #meta:

Meta’s Role in Romania’s 2024 Presidential #Election - important research by @checkfirst

https://checkfirst.network/research-note-metas-role-in-romanias-2024-presidential-election/

#surveillance #CommercialSurveillance #politicalads #TrackingFreeAds #digitalservicesact #gdpr

Research Note: Meta’s Role in Romania’s 2024 Presidential Election - CheckFirst

Check First, with the help of Reset Tech, EU DisinfoLab and independent journalists Luiza Vasiliu and Victor Ilie publish the flash research note “Ads, Influence, and Democracy: Meta’s Role in Romania’s 2024 Presidential Election.” This note offers critical insights into the influence of digital platforms on public opinion and the electoral process in Romania during a politically pivotal moment.

CheckFirst
Jan PenfratJul 6, 2023

🎉 In other news:

24 European Parliament lawmakers from the @TheProgressives, #Renew, @eppgroup, @ecrgroup and the @EP_GreensEFA asked Parliament President #RobertaMetsola to suspend #advertising campaigns run through #Google’s parent company #Alphabet and on #YouTube over fears they could be sponsoring Russian #propaganda. They also urged to reallocate the EP’s advertising budgets to “trustworthy" ads methods (think: #TrackingFreeAds).

#TrackingAds #SurveillanceAds #privacy #ForeignInfluence

Show threadJan PenfratMar 14, 2023

@airwhale @rysiek @atomicpoet @mike @mmasnick ...while adding some #transparency and #duediligence obligations for the biggest social media operators out there.

That does not mean we should not regulate the terrible #TrackingAds-driven business model that creates a lot of the commercial incentives for social media platforms to harm users and societies. The #DSA is too weak on this front unfortunately. [2/2]

Some more background: https://edri.org/our-work/the-dsa-fails-to-reign-in-the-most-harmful-digital-platform-businesses-but-it-is-still-useful/

The DSA fails to reign in the most harmful digital platform businesses – but it is still useful - European Digital Rights (EDRi)

The Digital Services Act (DSA) was lauded by some as creating a “constitution for the internet”. But it is far from perfect and much will depend on how it is going to be implemented and enforced.

European Digital Rights (EDRi)
Jan PenfratMar 11, 2023

Repeat after me: The personal data industry is dangerous. #TrackingAds are dangerous. Mass #surveillance, whether commercial or state-run, is dangerous.

"Colorado Catholic group bought app data that tracked gay priests"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/03/09/catholics-gay-priests-grindr-data-bishops/

#privacy #dataprotection #TrackingFreeAds #tracking

Catholic group spent millions on app data that tracked gay priests

The group used the data to find clerics who used Grindr and other dating and hookup apps and shared their work with bishops, a Post investigation has found.

The Washington Post