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Comment by sborra | Hacker News Reader

Google Maps works just fine with the GPS from my phone's sensors, but _every single time_ I bring up the app, it asks me to enable device location and Google Location Services.

I stubbornly (and maybe foolishly) keep opting out of every Google tracking option, it's crazy how annoying they are if you do this.

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I refuse every time, but the message is made to look like GPS is disabled. Definitely a dark pattern.

This happens to me too, various opt-in nags on both desktop and mobile. Using google maps has become a chore for me. I used to like going to the site or the app and browsing around for fun to learn about a new place. Now I only use it when I absolutely need to.

I'm now trying to use OSMAnd wherever possible. If there's a location I can't use it to find, I'll revert to Google Maps (and click 'no' to the opt in nag). When home, I'll make sure to update OpenStreetMap to make their map more useful.

I'm convinced that open data is the better option. Certainly, I'm happy to volunteer my time and effort to contribute to things like OSM (and Wikipedia), but I'm loathe to part with my personal data for 'free' to a huge advertising behemoth.

My biggest gripe with OsmAnd is the fact that plug-ins are actually part of the source code, meaning that I would need to recompile the entire project to accommodate, say, a plug-in that could pull in traffic data. That's my largest use case for maps apps - avoiding traffic on my lengthy commute.

There are some gross hacks to get traffic overlays on the map, but the navigation still chooses routes independently of that data (driving you right into traffic)

I do exactly the same thing. I've raised support requests, given feedback, starred support items for years about this knowing full well that it is a by-design choice. Other map apps seem to cope without it and manage to record your preference.

It's like trying to brush off an unwanted advance -- it gets creepy after a while.

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