How to Set Your Google Data to Self-Destruct

Re:How to Set Your Google Data to Self-Destruct by anonytrary on Tuesday November 05, 2019 @03:25AM (#21450612)

If they can't keep a cache of your recent locations, it would be difficult for them to apply optimization of your location, prediction of your car's path, etc. and Google Maps would be a much more jarring experience, akin to a GPS device. I think they do need the client to send recent locations per request if they want to deliver an optimal experience.

For example, what if I wanted to implement loading automatic nearby locations? Naively, I could fetch the results within a radius R of the current received location. However, that's not good if I'm on the highway. The smarter algorithm would take into account the car's position, velocity, and angular velocity to calculate a better spot to query around, or perhaps a different shape to query in other than a circle with radius R.

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Re:How to Set Your Google Data to Self-Destruct by bambax on Tuesday November 05, 2019 @06:52AM (#21451520)

> if they want to deliver an optimal experience

I should be able to decide what "experience" I want. I don't want "more", I'm happy with "good enough".

Anyway, I'm very fine with how it works now, except for the nagging. I allow the app to know my location, of course, just not to store any history.

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Re:How to Set Your Google Data to Self-Destruct by anonytrary on Tuesday November 05, 2019 @11:01PM (#21459623)

Nobody wants to use a maps app that feel like it's from 2004. There's a reason people put up with giving their data away -- because data drives machine intelligence, which makes your maps app smoother, more responsive, more useful, and overall a much better experience.

I, too, don't want to give my data away. But when I'm in my car, the most important thing is that I get to my destination safely and on time. That acute need vastly outweighs my own philosophy on who I think should have my data.

I'm just being honest with myself. I can't deny that I make heavy use of products that make heavy use of my personal data. People in this community seem to think of personal data collection as a form of parasitism, but in reality, it is far closer to mutualism.

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Re:How to Set Your Google Data to Self-Destruct by ryanmercer on Tuesday November 05, 2019 @07:54AM (#21451910)

>I should be able to decide what "experience" I want.

You can. You can use their 'free' app that you pay for with your location data or you can pay a one time fee for a road atlas with no updates.

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Re:How to Set Your Google Data to Self-Destruct by zentiggr on Tuesday November 05, 2019 @09:02AM (#21452393)

Or you can use the Navigator app by someone else, that has a free option, nothing feeds to the Google monster, and behaves pretty much exactly like an old style GPS device with some modern additions.

Good enough indeed.

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