Google Keeps Tabs on Usage of Rival Android Apps To Develop Competitors (theverge.com) 25
An internal program at Google known as "Android Lockbox" can give the company's employees access to information about how Android users interact with popular, non-Google apps and services, according to a new report in The Information. The Verge: The program, which works via Google Mobile Services, means that employees can reportedly see "sensitive" data about other apps, including how often they're opened and for how long they're used. Sources claim this information has been used to keep tabs on rivals to Google's Gmail service or to monitor Facebook and Instagram usage. Google is also thought to have used it to plan the launch of its TikTok competitor, Shorts. The Information notes that Google's employees have to request permission to see this data in some cases, and that these requests are sometimes denied.
The report comes as Google's business is facing an intense amount of antitrust scrutiny in the US. Google CEO Sundar Pichai is due to testify in Congress; the company is facing an antitrust investigation by almost every US state, and the Justice Department is reportedly planning to file an antitrust case of its own. Although these investigations are believed to be focusing on the company's search and ad businesses, discoveries about possible unfair Android business practices are unlikely to be welcomed. The Information reports that Android Lockbox gets its most useful information when users agree to share information with Google as part of the Android setup process. Users are told that this data allows Google to offer a more personalized experience, but The Information says it also provides data for competitive research.
The report comes as Google's business is facing an intense amount of antitrust scrutiny in the US. Google CEO Sundar Pichai is due to testify in Congress; the company is facing an antitrust investigation by almost every US state, and the Justice Department is reportedly planning to file an antitrust case of its own. Although these investigations are believed to be focusing on the company's search and ad businesses, discoveries about possible unfair Android business practices are unlikely to be welcomed. The Information reports that Android Lockbox gets its most useful information when users agree to share information with Google as part of the Android setup process. Users are told that this data allows Google to offer a more personalized experience, but The Information says it also provides data for competitive research.
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This is about as anticompetitive as you can get; leveraging their position in one industry to crush competitors in others and take their market share. They could really only do worse by physically assaulting the employees of other companies.
FORGIVEN (Score:2, Flamebait)
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... the point of a corporation is to make money and not be our friends.
... and as always there is an amazing number of people who are surprised by this.
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Yes some people still hope that humans in general will stop being bad to each other. That because corporations are run by humans they should be run in a fashion that is respecting other humans. It makes sense but it won't happen for another 200 years and after lot of spilled blood.
What makes you think things will be different in 200 years? Humans are only good to each other when there are consequences. The point of corporations is that you have no negative consequences for your behavior. When you have no negative consequences, you have a license, and in some sick people's eyes - a duty, to be bad. This has been true all throughout history, and I don't see it changing.
Mine are (Score:3)
The corporations I've been on the board* of are "people first".
In my view, people should always be treated as ends to themselves, never as merely means to an end. That idea indicates what I should and should not do, including in any role I have within a corporation.
Two corporations for which I've been on the board were created specifically for the purpose of serving specific groups of people.
* For those unfamiliar, the board hires and fires the CEO and other officers and sets long-term strategic policy
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And they would be correct. I'd hazard a guess and say that's also the reason why pretty much all of us go to work: money, and not because we are such good friends with the shareholders.
Doesn't mean everyone can do what they want. There's a legal framework to balance everyone's goals. Especially when one corporation achieves market dominance and that balance goes, well, out of balance. That's where antitrust laws come in for example.
Re: FORGIVEN (Score:2)
In this case they are leveraging the position they have to spy on their competitors. The goal is to make sure they retain users. This should be a warning to any company that is considering using Go. Are you sure you want to implement business critical functions in a language effectively controlled by a company that exhibits this behavior?
Google is particularly bad because the users of their service
That does seem pretty wrong (Score:2)
I could see Google devs maybe peering at other rival apps, running them internally - something all companies do with competitive products.
But this is a whole other level, collecting detailed usage metrics from entirely unknowing people out in the wild...
I sure wish the original story [theinformation.com] was not behind a paywall as I'd love to know more details on this and how it actually works.
Google's Tiktok is better (Score:2)
I like Google's version better: it's much easier to say "eat my shorts" than "eat my tiktoks".
use a different app store or sideload (Score:1)
Of course they are doing that! (Score:5, Insightful)
Every time I say it I get modded down but I'll keep saying it: Android is spyware masquerading as a phone OS that exists solely to gather data for Google and enhance their economic fortunes.
Stop using it.
Re: Of course they are doing that! (Score:2)
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Google is definitely trading on a dated reputation.
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Which sadly is starting to look downright honest in comparison.
not surprising? (Score:2)
Every company that maintains a platform must be monitoring usage, and taking profit-seeking action based on it? It's one reason why some people have moved off Amazon Web Services because they did not want a potential competitor to get insight into their business, for example. And the decision on what is going to show up as an AmazonBasics product must come from analysis of the sales made off their main store.
It's one of the reasons why VCs love platform plays...
Isnt this good? (Score:2)
I think they should give the user a choice. I for one would sign up to have them or anyone else monitor which apps I use the most. Why? If someone makes competing software that does what my favorite apps do, in a non patent infringing manner, wouldnâ(TM)t that be better for me? More choice, lower costs. The danger of competition has always existed for every product or service. Thatâ(TM)s why patents are important to protect novel ideas, and also why competition is a good thing.
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