I'm reluctant to verify my identity or age for any online services

Re:I'm reluctant to verify my identity or age for any online... by microtonal on Tuesday March 03, 2026 @10:58AM (#47234329)

Not just the web. Last time I installed Backdrops on my phone (a nice wallpaper app), you would literally approve hundreds of uses of your data when you press Consent. Even if you choose to manage choices, 200 'legitimate interest' options are enabled by default. Even when you are a paying Pro user. Data used includes location data.

What makes it worse is that a substantial portion of users block web trackers through an adblocker. However on phones, unless you have a rooted phone or use some DNS-based blocker, all these analytics get uploaded without restraint.

Atm I use Firefox with uBlock which blocks the cookie banners, but Firefox's extension model is broken, and every single extension provides 100% access to my websites to whoever controls the extension. I don't like it.

Some browsers (e.g. Vanadium, Vivaldi) have a built-in adblocker, so you have to trust one party less.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:I'm reluctant to verify my identity or age for any online... by drnick1 on Tuesday March 03, 2026 @03:24PM (#47238418)

> Last time I installed Backdrops on my phone (a nice wallpaper app), you would literally approve hundreds of uses of your data

Why are you using that malware? Is a "nice wallpaper" worth the security risks? Really?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:I'm reluctant to verify my identity or age for any online... by microtonal on Wednesday March 04, 2026 @06:48AM (#47246138)

By that definition the majority of apps is malware. This was just one example, a lot of apps have an insane number of trackers. It was just to illustrate that even the simplest of apps do this.

[ Parent | on HN ]