>When I'm connected to a VPN that's far away, applications with my precise location, such as Google Maps, use my real-life location.
that's because VPNs don't change your phone's geolocation, which is determined by GPS/wifi signals. It's not a "VPN bypass" in any meaningful sense, any more than amazon knowing where you live because you filled out your address isn't a "VPN bypass".
>Meaning, almost certainly true? If I gave Facebook microphone access, I would 100% expect it to be using my microphone for analytics. If you read their privacy policy, this is definitely allowed.
Both iOS and Android has microphone indicators, so the idea that it's surreptitiously listening to you behind your back is doubtful, or requires some sort of conspiracy between it and Google/Apple. That's not impossible, but should be considered a crank theory until proven otherwise.
>[...] and there's no consequences, and it's allowed... why wouldn't you?
Strongly disagree. Google has been sued and lost for much lesser privacy infringements, like tracking users while in incognito, which if you read the suit is pretty absurd. Evidence that any big tech company was intentionally eavesdropping on users (ie. excluding something like voice assistants being accidentally triggered) would be a bombshell.
> Google has been sued and lost for much lesser privacy infringements, like tracking users while in incognito, which if you read the suit is pretty absurd.
But those suits dont matter:
- the penalty they have to pay is laughably small
- consumers by and large dont know or dont care enough to switch away from Chrome.
that's because VPNs don't change your phone's geolocation, which is determined by GPS/wifi signals. It's not a "VPN bypass" in any meaningful sense, any more than amazon knowing where you live because you filled out your address isn't a "VPN bypass".
>Meaning, almost certainly true? If I gave Facebook microphone access, I would 100% expect it to be using my microphone for analytics. If you read their privacy policy, this is definitely allowed.
Both iOS and Android has microphone indicators, so the idea that it's surreptitiously listening to you behind your back is doubtful, or requires some sort of conspiracy between it and Google/Apple. That's not impossible, but should be considered a crank theory until proven otherwise.
>[...] and there's no consequences, and it's allowed... why wouldn't you?
Strongly disagree. Google has been sued and lost for much lesser privacy infringements, like tracking users while in incognito, which if you read the suit is pretty absurd. Evidence that any big tech company was intentionally eavesdropping on users (ie. excluding something like voice assistants being accidentally triggered) would be a bombshell.