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September 3, 2021

Big Tech’s Big Secret: Why Google and Apple Want Your Data

Two of the biggest tech companies in Silicon Valley have long been rivals. Whether it be iPhone vs. Android or Chrome vs. Safari, Apple and Google have never been on the friendliest of terms. Except for one, massive partnership. This year, Google is expected to pay Apple USD $15 billion to have Google be the default search engine on Safari [1]. At first, this deal seems like a head-scratcher. After all, why would Google pay its biggest rival billions when most already prefer Google as their search engine of choice? Put simply, Google outbids others to ensure other corporations (namely, Microsoft) can’t have their search engines become the default.

In addition to the two companies’ rivalry, there is another reason why Apple and Google’s lucrative partnership is so puzzling. Specifically, the two corporations’ stance on data privacy. In recent years, Apple has highlighted its privacy features extensively, with entire marketing campaigns dedicated to showcasing Apple’s (seemingly) hard-line stance on user privacy. On the other hand, Google’s revenue depends on advertising, and thus, user data. Over 80% of Google’s revenue comes from targeted advertising [2]. Overall, Apple and Google’s partnership shows how Big Tech companies that claim to prioritize your privacy may sacrifice that right for a big payday.

Apple’s Stance on Privacy

Just a few months ago, Apple launched a marketing campaign with the tagline “Privacy. That’s iPhone [3].” Clearly, Apple knows that privacy is something that the public wants, particularly in today’s Digital Age. In fact, Apple even states that “Privacy is a fundamental human right” on its website. On Apple’s site that details its privacy features, the company touts that Maps “doesn’t associate your data with your Apple ID” and that “your Apple ID isn’t connected to Siri.” Finally, Apple states that Safari “helps stop advertisers that follow you from site to site [4].” Clearly, Apple wants its users to believe their data is protected with them. Put simply, Apple wants to market itself as the Big Tech company that actually cares about your privacy. But is that the case?

Well, not really. While Apple is certainly better with privacy than most other Silicon Valley giants, that’s not a particularly high bar to clear. Apple still collects data in aggregate and keeps your exact maps locations for 24 hours [5]. While Apple may say that the benefits of this data collection vastly outweigh the harms, they’re still collecting the data. But worst of all, Apple still allows apps that don’t care about privacy at all. All of Apple’s privacy features are only on its own software. If you use more popular apps, such as Google Maps, Gmail, Facebook, YouTube, and others, you’re not protecting your data, even if you’re using the apps on an iPhone.

So while Apple talks a big game, and has certainly made positive steps toward a more private future, it’s still misleading to say Apple truly cares about your privacy. By still allowing data-hungry apps on its App Store, your data is still exposed on Apple’s hardware. Of course, Apple is a business, and simply not allowing these popular apps would be a massive change. However, the implication that all of your data is protected on Apple devices is simply misleading.

Google and User Privacy

While Apple has taken some steps to protect user data, Google’s entire business model depends upon the collection and sale of data. Google collects, among other things, website histories, Gmail data (including email drafts), and specific location data, even when the Google Maps app isn’t open [6]. Google then takes that personal data and sells it, allowing companies to target their ads to specific audiences. With this hyper-specific information, Google can line its pockets with revenue, while your data is exposed to advertisers.

In fact, Google’s entire business model is the sale of user data. That’s why nearly all of Google’s products are completely free. From Google Maps to YouTube, Gmail to Drive, Google offers all of these services for free. And many have wondered how Google can offer such complicated software for no cost. The answer? Google’s software isn’t their main product. You are their main product.

For Big Tech, It’s All About Ads

Unfortunately, Google is just one of many corporations whose main product isn’t software or programs. It’s you and your data. Similar to Google, Facebook makes the vast majority of its revenue through ads. Facebook learns as much as possible about you, then uses that data to deluge your timeline with hyper-specific ads [7]. Additionally, the goal of Amazon’s expansion into smart speakers and grocery stores isn’t just to offer a wider suite of products. It’s about gathering even more information about its customers and sharing that with advertisers [8].

While Facebook and Amazon both carefully state that they don’t “sell” your data to third parties, they do “share” your data with third parties. In practice, this still means advertisers can pay for access to your data. And, unfortunately, that is how most Big Tech companies operate. While these mega-corporations may offer a variety of free software and products to customers, those aren’t their main business. If they aren’t selling products or services, they’re selling you.

AXEL is Different

At AXEL, we also believe that privacy is a human right. Unlike other companies though, we don’t hide behind our slogans. AXEL takes steps to ensure your data is protected from cybercriminals and advertisers alike. From military-grade encryption to blockchain technology, AXEL offers the most stringent security for your most important data.

Additionally, with AXEL, you’re not the product. That’s why we never sell your data to any third party. We don’t offer any “too good to be true” deals while selling your data on the side. AXEL Go is a secure file-sharing and storage software that puts you in control of your data. If you’re ready to take back control of your data, try two weeks of AXEL Go for free here. After the free trial, AXEL Go is just $9.99 per month. After all, our business model is offering the best, most secure file-sharing service to all; not offering your private data to the highest bidder.

[1] Ion, Florence. “Google Continues to Pay Apple Billions to Keep You From Using… Bing?” Gizmodo. August 26, 2021. https://gizmodo.com/google-will-continue-to-pay-apple-billions-to-keep-you-1847564608.

[2] Graham, Megan, and Jennifer Elias. “How Google’s $150 Billion Advertising Business Works.” CNBC. May 21, 2021. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/18/how-does-google-make-money-advertising-business-breakdown-.html.

[3] Apple. YouTube. May 20, 2021.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w4qPUSG17Y.

[4] “Privacy.” Apple.

https://www.apple.com/privacy/.

[5] “Apple Delivers a New Redesigned Maps for All Users in the United States.” Apple Newsroom. August 06, 2021. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020/01/apple-delivers-a-new-redesigned-maps-for-all-users-in-the-united-states/.

[6] Haselton, Todd. “How to Find out What Google Knows about You and Limit the Data It Collects.” CNBC. December 06, 2017. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/20/what-does-google-know-about-me.html.

[7] Gilbert, Ben. “How Facebook Makes Money from Your Data, in Mark Zuckerberg’s Words.” Business Insider. April 11, 2018. https://www.businessinsider.com/how-facebook-makes-money-according-to-mark-zuckerberg-2018-4.
[8] M, Laura. “Does Amazon Sell Your Personal Information?” DeleteMe. August 21, 2020. https://joindeleteme.com/blog/does-amazon-sell-your-personal-information/.

April 2, 2021

Privacy Labels Reveal Interesting Insights About Popular Cloud Drives

In late 2020, Apple launched its Privacy Label initiative[1]. Now, all apps sold through the App Store need to include a privacy label with future updates. These labels inform consumers about how the application collects and uses consumer data. Since millions of people use file-sharing and cloud storage platforms to transfer and store their personal content, we believed it’d be interesting to compare the privacy labels of the Big Tech offerings to AXEL Go.

A primer on terminology

Before getting into the comparison, it’s important to define the terms you’ll see often. Apple separated the data the apps collect into three different categories.

Data Used to Track You. This is the most troublesome category. It means that the app tracks personal information explicitly to form a coherent picture of your identity. This could stretch across your entire internet usage or even into your real-life shopping habits. It’s a tactic Facebook notoriously employs[2], and it’s by far the most invasive type of data collection.

Companies engaged in these activities link data generated from the app with information from third parties for targeted advertising or analytics. These organizations potentially even share their data sets (including your exact location) with shady data brokers. If possible, we recommend ditching apps that track you like this.

Data Linked to You. This includes much of the same types of data as the previous category, except it is not tracked across your full web experience. It’s still linked to your identity, however, and is still sold to third parties regularly. Avoid it when you can.

Data Not Linked to You. This is data that the company has explicitly anonymized. It could mean removing direct identifiers like user ID/Name/Device ID and data manipulation to prevent re-linkage or de-anonymization. To claim this, you must not ‘fingerprint’ or use other data sets to establish a potential identity.

Now, onto the comparison.

Dropbox

Source: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dropbox-cloud-storage-backup/id327630330

DropBox comes out the worst in this comparison. It’s the only one with entries in the ‘Data Used to Track You’ category, making it a significant threat to the privacies of over 600 million users worldwide. It also collects a vast amount of data, including:

Contact Info (Name, email address, phone number, physical address, etc.)
Identifiers (Screen name, handle, account ID, etc.)
Purchases (Purchase history)
Contacts (List of your phone’s contacts, address books, social graphs, etc.)
Search History (information regarding searches you made in-app)
Usage Data (App launch info, taps, scrolling data, clicks, views, biometric eye data, etc.)
User Content (in this case, content stored on DropBox servers)
Diagnostics (crash logs, performance metrics, etc.)

Obviously, some of this data is more sensitive than other types. For instance, diagnostic information is potentially less harmful than giving up the contents of your cloud storage to what amounts to corporate surveillance. Regardless, it’s all info that they can link to you for identification purposes.

Google Drive

Source: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/google-drive/id507874739

Google isn’t known for its commitment to privacy. Although its cloud service, Google Drive, fares a bit better than Dropbox, there’s still not much to like. It collects the same types of data and adds “Location” into the mix. Why would a cloud storage application need to know your location? Unknown, but it likely isn’t a valid reason. It’s unspecified whether they monitor your ‘Precise Location’ or ‘Coarse Location,’ but Google doesn’t deserve the benefit of the doubt. Assume they know exactly where you are at all times when you’re using any of their services, including Drive. They also collect the nebulously-termed “Other” data, which Apple doesn’t define. If you’re one of the over one billion users[3] of Drive, consider alternatives.

Microsoft OneDrive

Source: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-onedrive/id477537958

Of the Big Tech offerings, Microsoft’s OneDrive is the least offensive. It collects the least amount of data and doesn’t track you across websites. However, the personal information it does collect is still sensitive—especially Contact Info, Identifiers, and User Content. So, Microsoft not only collects your personally identifying information but, like its major competitors, it still mines user content. It’s an inexcusable invasion of privacy that anyone who cares about such matters can’t look past.

AXEL Go

Source: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/axel-go/id1462043114

The Silicon Valley mainstays don’t value your privacy. At the end of the day, they make a lot of money from your data alone. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any good options. Privacy-based alternatives like AXEL Go exist.

Our team designed the entire platform to promote privacy, security, and data custody. And that starts with the fact that AXEL doesn’t collect any data linked to its users. In fact, AXEL is the only competitor in this comparison that doesn’t link data to your identity. Most of the information we manage is diagnostic, and usage data, which helps our developers see how you’re using the app to inform future improvements. Any contact info we store is sufficiently anonymized so that nobody can link it back to you. We respect everyone’s right to privacy.

Try AXEL Go

If you’re used to sharing and storing data online with platforms such as Google Drive or Dropbox, AXEL Go is a breath of fresh air. Our simple, intuitive user interface is a breeze to navigate while still offering industry-leading security and privacy features.

The platform is backed by secure technology like the InterPlanetary File System, blockchain, and military-grade encryption. Together with the fact that only AXEL emphasizes users take control of their personal information, you’ve got an application that stands above the competition. Try it out today and see the AXEL difference. Basic accounts are free, and you can upgrade to a Premium account with all features for only $9.99/month. Help usher in a better internet. Join the AXEL Revolution.

[1] Nick Statt. “Apple launches new App Store privacy labels so you can see how iOS apps use your data”, The Verge, Dec. 14, 2020, https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/14/22174017/apple-app-store-new-privacy-labels-ios-apps-public

[2] Aaron Holmes, “Facebook knows what you’re doing on other sites and in real life. This tool lets you see what it knows about you.”, Business Insider, Mar. 17, 2020, https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-clear-history-offline-activity-tracker-tool-how-to-use-2020-1

[3] Shoshana Wodinsky, “Google Drive is about to hit 1 billion users”, The Verge, Jul. 25, 2018, https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/25/17613442/google-drive-one-billion-users

March 17, 2021

A Breakdown of Google’s Alternative to the Third-Party Cookie

In an effort to distance itself from its less-than-stellar reputation on privacy, Google is developing and testing an alternative to third-party tracking cookies. It’s called the Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC), and the company claims it solves commonly-cited privacy issues with personalized advertising. Skeptical?

What is a cookie?

While most people know the term “cookie,” they might not understand precisely what they do. Before getting into Google’s replacement, here’s s a brief synopsis:

A cookie is a small file that stores pieces of user data to improve their web browsing experience. Each web server collects visitors’ browsing history, settings, or preferences and saves the data in a file. The next time the user visits that site, the server pulls the cookie’s information and provides a customized experience. This can manifest in several ways, such as saving:

Display language preferences.
Shopping carts between sessions.
Login information.
Authentication data so that users don’t have to enter a CAPTCHA.

These are examples of first-party cookies. The website you visit actually collects the data. It is difficult to imagine an internet without first-party cookies. Nobody wants to input all of their information every time they view a site. However, there is another type called third-party cookies.

Third-party cookies

Unaffiliated domains create third-party cookies, which track users across multiple sites. They use this data for retargeting campaigns and personalized advertising. Third-party cookies are receiving backlash from consumers and privacy advocates alike.

These are unlikely to be anonymized in any meaningful way, which leads to persistent tracking. So, unknown to the end-user, advertisers can craft detailed profiles on individuals and market directly to them across the entire internet. Not only is this a blatant invasion of privacy, but it is also susceptible to abuse from predatory companies.

Google’s response to the cookie crumbling

Google recently decided to ban third-party cookies across its ad platform and block them by default on its popular Chrome browser[1]. So, has the search giant finally seen the light and found a newfound commitment to privacy? One peek at their advertising revenues should tell you all you need to know (over $37 billion in Q3 2020[2] alone). Google will not stop tracking people through mobile devices and will still target individuals with ads based on user behavior on their first-party application. Google is large and diverse enough that even first-party cookies pose a problem.

But at least they won’t be sharing individuals’ data with third-party advertising companies anymore, right? The technical answer is “right,” but it’s a bit more complicated. What they’ve really done is create a different way to track people for personalized ads. They have many projects aiming to replace the functionality of third-party cookies under a less toxic name. The proposals seem to follow an avian theme for some reason, such as PIGIN, TURTLEDOVE, SPARROW, SWAN, SPURFOWL, PELICAN, PARROT, PARAKEET, and so on. But one idea has really taken flight…

Enter the FLoC

The FLoC project is deep into its testing phase and has been already delivered tangible results to advertisers (approximately 95% return on ad spend compared to third-party cookies[3]). FLoC stands for Federated Learning of Cohorts. A name that not only rolls right off the tongue but is also definitely not confusing and immediately makes its meaning known.

Snark aside, a FLoC clusters larger groups of people with similar interests together under a shared ID number (their “cohort”) and serves those within the group personalized ads. It uses sophisticated Machine Learning algorithms to analyze variables like the URLs visited, website content, and the typically nebulous “other factors.” So, Google still pulls this data from browsing history, but the information gets calculated on the user’s device rather than sent back to a Google server. This local data gets compiled with thousands of other users to remain private.

Privacy advocates, however, don’t see this as a suitable solution.

Issues with FLoC

Even looking past Google’s dubious past (and present) regarding privacy, the FLoC project raises concerns.

Fingerprinting. Millions of websites use hidden code to pull details about their visitors’ computers, and therefore, identities. With FLoC, Instead of distinguishing an individual’s browser from hundreds of millions of others, advertisers only have to worry about how many reside in a particular cohort (thousands?). Google is trying to mitigate this, but there’s no solution coming soon, and the project is already rolling out. Evidently, it’s not a top priority.
Contextual identification. Companies could combine a cohort ID with other information, such as data obtained from having a ‘Login with your Google account’ option to identify people. Furthermore, advertisers can infer demographics from a particular Cohort since people with similar browsing interests can likely be siloed into fairly accurate groups. Google claims it will protect ‘sensitive info’ like race and sexual preference, but its effectiveness is unknown. There’s less recourse for this when it does happen, too, because they’ll have plausible deniability about targeting these ‘protected’ entities.
Exploitation. FLoCs could result in the proliferation of exploitative practices. For instance, a cohort of people visiting sites about credit repair could receive ads for payday loans or other manipulative products and services.

Conclusion

This project is already well underway. The days of personalized advertising are here to stay. There’s simply too much money at stake for it to go away without explicit regulation. FLoC only applies to the Chrome browser, which happens to be by far the most popular web browser. If you don’t want to participate in these shenanigans, you’ll have to use a privacy-focused browser. FLoC seems like a step in the right direction over third-party cookies, but it’d be hard to be worse than them. Valid concerns still exist, and privacy-oriented people likely won’t celebrate this stopgap.

Stay private

AXEL promotes the concept of data custody and prioritizes keeping user data secure and private. If you don’t want Big Tech companies like Google mining your information and tracking you incessantly, break free from their hegemony. Share and store files online without anxiety. AXEL Go is a safe, privacy-focused platform that utilizes blockchain technology, the InterPlanetary File System, and AES 256-Bit encryption. Take back control of your digital privacy. Try AXEL Go today. For $9.99, you can upgrade to a premium account and unlock all of its unique features.

[1] David Temkin, “Charting a course towards a more privacy-first web”, Blog.google, March 3, 2021, https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/a-more-privacy-first-web/

[2] Kim Lyons, “YouTube brings in $5 billion in ad revenue as Alphabet and Google bounce back”, TheVerge.com, Oct.. 29, 2020, https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/29/21531711/google-alphabet-ad-revenue-youtube-waymo-cloud-search

[3] Chetna Bindra, “Building a privacy-first future for web advertising, Blog.google, Jan. 25, 2021, https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/2021-01-privacy-sandbox/

August 19, 2019

Projects We Love: PrivacyWall

This is part of our series highlighting startups who share our mission of trying to bring data privacy back to users.

You’ve had a rough week, maybe it’s a relationship or health problem, but either way, you’re feeling down. Fortunately, your family is there for you, and reach out to console you through a few private messages on social media.

Mom: “I know it’s expensive, I’m sorry your health care doesn’t cover it, we’ll do what we can to help you pay.”

Dad: “Don’t worry sport, she’s just going through a phase, I’m sure you guys will work through it.”

Friend: “Hey man, let’s meet up for a drink this weekend, cheer up!”

After reading your messages, you lay down in bed to rest and start scrolling through social media to pass the time until you fall asleep, and you’re astounded by what you find.

Ads.

But not just the usual ads for food, or some new tech gadget.

“Lower your healthcare costs now! Save 20% off market rate plans!”

“Relationship trouble? Local family counseling is available!”

“Cheapest beer in town, and half-price shots on Fridays!”

Maybe it’s just coincidence, or maybe every single thing you say or do online is being tracked and sold to advertisers… That “free” social media website has to make money somehow.

And that’s where PrivacyWall comes in- a startup that is returning data privacy and security to users. By blocking unwanted data collection by everyone from Facebook to Google, PrivacyWall puts you back in the driver’s seat.

Why PrivacyWall?

Every website you visit, every search you type in, every message you send and photo you post, it’s all tracked, recorded, and monitored. PrivacyWall is the “off” switch we’ve been waiting for.

By blocking over 3,000+ trackers from many of the largest tech companies in the world you can once again browse the internet without fear of being tracked like the target of a CIA investigation. We expect privacy in our homes, and we should get the same treatment on the internet.

PrivacyWall even blocks Facebook Connect from building a shadow profile of your online activity when you are not on Facebook. If you didn’t know, that convenient “log-in with Facebook” turns that account you just signed up for into another data collection point for Facebook to build a profile on you.

If you didn’t know that, you aren’t alone. And that’s exactly why PrivacyWall blocks threats you don’t even know about yet. Because you shouldn’t have to become a security expert and worry about your private information being leaked just because you used Facebook to sign-up for a food delivery app, or a dating site, or anything.

You deserve privacy, and PrivacyWall is a step towards a more private world.