326

Received an email from Google Fi that their policy is to "opt you in" to sell your phone-call and purchase info to advertisers. They call the data your CPNI — "Customer Proprietary Network Information". Making this an opt-out when it's a combo of your shopping data plus phone-call data (including destination and location) plus Google identity seems pretty egregious to me.

Anyway, the emailed notice is easy to overlook as just another policy update that you wouldn't do anything about. But you can opt out.

At https://fi.google.com/account, go to "Privacy & security", and deselect "Allow CPNI sharing". It's not in the Fi app; you have to do it in a browser.

all 38 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] piecat@lemmy.world 51 points 1 year ago

Damn, the setting isn't even in the app settings. That's sneaky. Fuckers.

[-] czarrie@lemm.ee 10 points 1 year ago

Even more fun on Mobile Android, trying to login on the mobile site on browser...opens the Fi app because it was set up to handle links. You can remove the Fi app, change link handling for that domain, or use a computer, but yeah, some bullshit was afoot with that one

[-] velociroger@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

You can temporarily disable link handling for the Fi app (apps > default apps > opening links), make the privacy change in-browser, and then re-enable link handling after

[-] Ledger2@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

I used private browsing to work around this on mobile. Annoying that the link gets handled that way though.

[-] xorollo@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

I was able to long press the link and open in chrome to get it on the web. However, I got this email a few weeks ago, and tried to opt out, and got distracted. It took this post pointing gout that it's not in the app for me to get it done! This is outrageous.

[-] Sightline@lemmy.ml 20 points 1 year ago

Huge thanks, I thought that was just a generic policy email. Fucking tired of this shit.

[-] FooBarrington@lemmy.world 20 points 1 year ago

The misuse of language on Google's part is incredible. You can't opt someone else in.

[-] FigMcLargeHuge@sh.itjust.works 19 points 1 year ago

Fuckers! Dick move there Fi.

[-] Heir_Of_Isildur@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago

Thanks for this OP. Evilcorp Gonna evil, I guess

[-] Metriximor@lemmy.ml 13 points 1 year ago

I assume this is outside of Europe right? This breaks GDPR in every conceivable manner

[-] svellere@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

Google Fi is exclusive to U.S. customers so it doesn't matter if it breaks GDPR.

[-] tool@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Google Fi is exclusive to U.S. customers so it doesn't matter if it breaks GDPR.

Yeah it does. GDPR applies for EU citizens regardless of where they are. It's why every website in the fucking world has a cookie banner now. An EU citizen could register for Fi service with a VPN and a mailbox at a UPS store and Google's handling of their data would be subject to GDPR.

So yeah, it definitely matters, and I wouldn't be surprised if they get sued because of this.

[-] baduhai@sopuli.xyz 5 points 1 year ago

Yeah it does. GDPR applies for EU citizens regardless of where they are. It's why every website in the fucking world has a cookie banner now. An EU citizen could register for Fi service with a VPN and a mailbox at a UPS store and Google's handling of their data would be subject to GDPR.

Maybe the EU says the GDPR applies to all EU citizens regardless of where they are, but that doesn't matter. ox at a UPS store and Google's handling of their data would be subject to GDPR.

Maybe the EU says the GDPR applies to all EU citizens regardless of where they are, but that doesn't matter. They only have the right to enforce the GDPR within their jurisdiction, regardless of where a EU citizen is.

[-] yoppa@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

Yea this should be for the rest of the world.

I appreciate you.

I saw that email too and got confused.

Turned it off a moment ago

[-] coffeeguy@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

A few months back I just opted out of google fi and that worked. Seems google's motto is more of the "Do be evil" variant these days.

[-] sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz 7 points 1 year ago

Or just click the link that says to opt out. It will opt you out without doing anything else. Pretty dick move to have it opt-out instead of opt-in, yet not surprising.

[-] tool@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Or just click the link that says to opt out. It will opt you out without doing anything else.

There's no link in the email to opt out. The email gives you instructions on how to opt out and a link to the Fi website, but no direct link.

The instructions also don't work by default, because once you log in to the Fi website, it automatically redirects you to the Fi app which conveniently doesn't have the opt out option available to toggle. You have to either uninstall the Fi app or manually turn off its ability to open fi.google.com URLs to actually opt out.

I don't think that was an accident for even half a second, and I'm pretty sure that it just pushed me to switch carriers.

[-] sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz 4 points 1 year ago

Weird. In the email I received, I just clicked the first link and a page opened letting me know I had opted out.

[-] tool@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Weird. In the email I received, I just clicked the first link and a page opened letting me know I had opted out.

Yeah, not for me. It just went to the main Fi account page when I actually got it to open instead of it trying to open in the Fi app. Maybe an A/B test or something, I don't know.

What I do know is that I just switched wireless carriers, because fuck all that noise. That shit really rubbed me the wrong way. I might be on the road to completely divorcing myself from Google at this point.

[-] Kit 2 points 1 year ago

Are you comfortable sharing what country / state you're in? I didn't have an option to opt out in the Email and I'm in PA, USA.

[-] sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

California.

This is the link that was in the email I received:

http://g.co/fi/cpni-opt-out?utm_source=transactional&utm_campaign=&utm_medium=email&utm_content=&utm_term=___``

I guess it just one click because I was logged into the web sms page as I don't like using my phone for anything.

[-] Late2TheParty@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Thanks for the heads up!

[-] Chetzemoka@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago

Disabled! Thanks for sharing

[-] Ado@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

Google just doing Google tings

[-] steebo_jack@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago

good one just did it...

[-] Raiderkev@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Thanks, I saw the email too n wondered if there was an option out

[-] Frenchtoastfan@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago

Thank you for this! Good looking out.

[-] chemicalwonka@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

How can you really opt-out when the source code of all software they use is closed? If you cannot check the source code all they say are fallacies. You cannot trust their allegations. More google bullshit. Don't trust, verify!

[-] Reygle@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I usually go by "Don't trust" but your version may occasionally prove more useful. MAY

this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2023
326 points (100.0% liked)

Google Pixel

5831 readers
5 users here now

The World's Google Pixel community!

This community is for lemmings to gather and discuss all things related to the Google Pixel phone and other related hardware. Feel free to ask questions, seek advice, and engage in discussions around the Pixel and its ecosystem.

We ask you to be polite when addressing others and respect Lemmy.world's rules.

NSFW content is not allowed and will immediately get you banned.

It also goes without saying that self-promotion of any nature and referral links are not allowed. When in doubt, contact the mod team first.

Also, please, no politics.

For more general Android discussions, see !android@lemmy.world.

This community is not in any way affiliated with Google. If you are looking for customer support regarding your Pixel phone, look here instead: https://support.google.com/pixelphone/

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS