> VZ Msg: Introducing Verizon Custom Experience. VZ content & offers are more relevant using web browsing & app usage info. For info or to opt-out: m.vzw.com/CE
And all I can say is: fuck that.
[0] 'The program uses information about websites you visit and apps you use on your mobile device, your Verizon Fios services, device location and Customer Proprietary Network Informationn (CPNI), including phone numbers you call and those that call you, to help us understand your interests, like "spots lover" or "gamer."'
Of course this doesn't preclude forged signatures/agreements.
https://stevestreza.com/2020/02/17/ios-adware/
Discussed here:
T-Mobile’s can be turned off at: https://www.t-mobile.com/account/profile/line-selector/adver...
But you have to turn each line off one-by-one, there’s no master switch.
I have a Google Fi (t-mobile network) SIM in one of these:
https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-e750/
Fuck carrier surveillance.
> Fuck carrier surveillance.
How about Google surveillance? Google is one of those companies that I find insidiously evil. They have excellent PR and never get hammered on HN, but they own you, your soul and know more about you than you do. Google is completely inside you. Completely outside you.
Far more scarier than Verizon. Although, fuck Verizon too.
I am actively trying to do de-Google my life. It's surprisingly difficult.
You must be reading a different HN than I am.
I also have root on the hotspot device and can block access to specific IPs or hostnames, and can run tcpdump to monitor traffic. It's pretty nice for seeing what spyware various mobile apps have embedded in them.
You could also run the VPN on the phone itself, and just use the firewall on the hotspot to prevent traffic to any IP other than the VPN endpoint, closing the iOS VPN leaks, but I connect 3-4 devices to the hotspot and want VPN on all of them, so doing the VPN on the hotspot is slightly more convenient.
For example, OpenWRT allows more control over DNS settings. There is no user access to /etc/hosts or /etc/resolv.conf on iOS/Android. User can easily run servers on the e750, e.g., DNS or proxies, and inspect the contents of traffic, including TLS. The e750 has fewer limitations when running servers on Android with something like Termux. Using Termux, it is difficult if not impossible to run essential programs like tcpdump. Moreover Termux is not available for iOS. iOS is intentionally "locked down" and Apple prevents users from compiling iOS from source.
The e750 can accept CAT5/CAT6 Ethernet cables. Wired internet is an option. "Smartphones" are wireless-only.
Corrections welcome.
I'll point out that rooted Android is an option that grants you much more control. You can even build Android for many devices from source if you're so inclined (though perhaps not all of the drivers).
Rooted Android increasingly tends to be an option best reserved for technically-sophisticated users, but compiling OpenWRT from source isn't exactly consumer-friendly.
https://openwrt.org/toh/gl.inet/gl-e750
What are the resource requirements for building Android from source versus building OpenWRT. The option that requires much more significant resources is less consumer-friendly, IMO. It is certainly less friendly for this user.
OpenWRT is a smaller OS than Android and less complex.
For me, OpenWRT easier to work with than Android. Perhaps I am not "technically-sophisticated". I just want more control. I prefer commandline programs to "smartphone apps".
Instead, I am offering corrections as you requested. It is possible to manipulate the hosts file and low-level DNS configuration on Android with root. It is possible to use tcpdump on Android with root. I expect it's reasonably possible to run servers on Android with root, but there seems to be less interest in that (a long-running server is surely bad for the battery life of a typical Android device, for example).
I pay them 10x or 100x directly what they are going to make with this info and it literally puts their business with me in jeopardy. I also can say it's going to be topic #1 or #2 in conversation about them.
The VP or whoever at Verizon came up with this penny-grabbing scheme is a loser and should be fired.
- Custom Proprietary Network Information
- Business & Marketing Insights
- Identity Verification Settings
- Custom Experience
- Custom Experience Plus
Is there a tech solution? How can we minimize the amount of data that they can even collect? For example, I wonder if just changing DNS (and ideally doing DNS-over-HTTPS) would eliminate most of it. As far as call metadata, I’d say the answer is probably just using some less slimy provider (Signal etc).
“more relevant offers” now universally means “we’ll spy on you, so we can get more money from you!”
You will be part of the Custom Experience program unless you opt out. You must opt in to the Custom Experience Plus program to be a part of it unless you are already participating in Verizon Selects. Verizon Selects participants will automatically be included.
Custom Experience uses information about the websites you visit and the apps you use on your mobile device to help us determine your interests, such as “sports lover” or “outdoor enthusiast.” We make efforts to eliminate the use of websites that may be sensitive in nature.
Custom Experience Plus also uses:
• Device location information we obtain from the Verizon network and from Verizon apps you have permitted to collect location for these purposes;
• Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI), including information about the phone numbers you call or that call you and the times you receive these calls. It also includes information about the quantity, type, destination, location, and amount of use of your Verizon telecommunications and interconnected voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services and related billing information.
and this gem:
Q. If I turn off the location settings on my mobile device, will my location information still be used for Custom Experience Plus?
A. We use location information from our network. We will continue to use this type of location information regardless of your device location services setting.
We make efforts to eliminate the use of websites that may be sensitive in nature.
I'd say banking, investments, porn, etc are good candidates to remove
how are they getting that info?
"Introducing Verizon Custom Experience. It’s your experience, tailored to your interests. The program uses information about websites you visit and apps you use on your mobile device to help us better understand your interests. This helps us personalize our communications with you, give you more relevant product and service recommendations, and develop plans, services and offers that are more appealing to you."
Is twilio SuperSIM feasible as a self managed mobile service in the US? Can I pop in a sim, roam without thought and manage voice/sms/data accordingly? Will switch ASAP if so.
But what does one do with HN karma ? Is there a shop I don't know about.
I thought they were just for burning on downvotes, saved for a rainy day when you are feeling in a particularly unpopular, disagreeable or controversial mood and you want to say it anyway >:) bring on the -votes Mwawahahaha.
As an write this, about 25% of the front-page posts are Ask/Tell/Show HN. (7/30) That feels high.
To me it makes huge sense to allow advertisers to bid on known user data - since cookies, IP address, iOS policy are killing that type of targeting for everyone except google.
But they never seem to make it work and bridge that gap.
ATT was looking to sell Xandr though they might not be going through with that I haven't read anything about it recently.
This kind of behavior cannot be permitted. Perhaps a fine (I propose $50M) would help remind them of their obligations to their customers’ privacy preferences.
They all do this.
This all seems intentionally difficult
Would appreciate it if someone could give me an example or two. As in, "A bad thing that can happen to you as a result of Verizon's actions is: [insert actual bad thing that can happen here]"
t-mobile enabled this enhanced tracking by default on all accounts earlier this year. I had to disable it on each individual line.
It may only be a minor annoyance but I still get junk phone calls and the FTC is spineless to standup to do anything about it. Until only this year, the former head of the FTC was a former Verizon exec (talk about a revolving door in industry/regulation)
Who's to say they won't do the same to surreptitiously use the data internally for their own (somewhat shady) divisions or their former adtech owned divisions (Verizon Media, now known again as Yahoo)
The cost of spammers as they have forever changed how we use the telephone in terms of bother answering unknown calls. They are doing or have done the same with text.
Also why should I as a consumer have to do a domain search to verify legit or not. I personally just ignore all and tell everyone in my family and friends to do the same.