this post was submitted on 26 Sep 2023
280 points (97.3% liked)

Privacy

31856 readers
235 users here now

A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.

Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.

In this community everyone is welcome to post links and discuss topics related to privacy.

Some Rules

Related communities

Chat rooms

much thanks to @gary_host_laptop for the logo design :)

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
all 36 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Cryophilia@lemmy.world 58 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Just here to push https://gadgetbridge.org/

Get a smartwatch, replace the stock companion app with Gadgetbridge.

Watch talks to Gadgetbridge, Gadgetbridge talks to watch. All over Bluetooth.

Gadgetbridge has no internet access, up or down. It cannot send out any of your data. It remains sandboxed on your phone.

You can totally uninstall the stock companion app.

[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I notice FitBit isn't supported though.

Although that's understandable. The wife had one and it wouldn't talk to the official app reliably either.

[–] Contend6248@feddit.de 7 points 1 year ago

Yeah these manufacturers make it harder to connect to, i already have to get the decryption key from the SQL database of the MiBand app to use my MiBand with Gadgetbridge. I guess FitBit saves it somewhat safe, that's why it's unsupported

[–] SuperEars@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

I like the idea of this. At present time it doesn't look like any Fitbit-branded devices are supported, unless I'm missing something.

[–] Boring@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago

I really wanted to use gadget bridge. But they only support obscure watches and some Chinese knock offs.

Amazing concept, but I guess its really hard to reverse engineer some of the protocols these major watch/fitness trackers use.

[–] Zerush@lemmy.ml 19 points 1 year ago

Any fitness watch with internet access, by definition, is spyware, yes or yes. Personal and health data are too succulent for large companies not to turn them into profits. There are fitness apps that save data locally, if you want to monitor your health status during your workouts, there is no need for a Cloudservice for this purpose, the data from a workout is not so much that it cannot be saved on a cheap SD card, with much a transfer via Bluetooth to the PC or Mobile, if you want to review this data.

[–] flames5123@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I use an Apple Watch. It regularly (about every 2 weeks) to review who and what data I’m sharing with studies. I can easily opt out again, and the system is opt in only.

[–] sparky@lemmy.federate.cc 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

No different than the situation with iPhones and Android phones, really. Apple has made their money once you buy the device, and views your personal data as a liability. Google is an ad company that happens to make hardware, and views your data as necessary monetisation potential.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Those are two different situations though?

[–] VieuxQueb@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

As much as I hate apple products (tho new chips are wild), I got to agree here. I don't know ehat apple does with your data but it does seem to my uninformed eye that they do better than the rest.

[–] BubblyMango@lemmy.wtf 13 points 1 year ago

Yet their ad services keep raising in value, so i wouldnt completely trust them.

[–] UsedRealNameB4@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Just in time for the Pixel Watch 2 release ✅

[–] sanpo@sopuli.xyz 16 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Which is made by the same company (Google owns Fitbit), so?

[–] UsedRealNameB4@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

That was the point my dude.

[–] yoz@aussie.zone 4 points 1 year ago

Godamnit ! Again I missed out on the data sharing opportunity. My uncle got an apple watch and said that I am missing out on all the cool features. I replied , I dont want anything that connects to internet. He laughed.

[–] totallynotfbi@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

I was forced into using a Fitbit last year, and I instantly went back to my Samsung Galaxy watch when I got the chance. Samsung Health is annoying on iOS, but at least you don't need to send all your data to Samsung in order to use it

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 0 points 1 year ago

Well . . . yeah.

Kids, folks, trusted benefactors - everything's taking your data. Tell it no or don’t buy it.

TheWorld: This thing is amazing! Buy it and give it your data! Me: wtf TheWorld: #1 This thing grosses eleventy billion dollars first quarter! Internet: guyz thing stealz data omg (Repeat)