Re:Google offering free Chromebooks to Indian schools
by patrickaljord on Friday December 27, 2013 @06:13AM
(#6970251)
> Since you cannot use a Chromebook without signing into the OS, Google has the potential to track everything you do on a Chromebook.
Pixel owner here. You can sign in as guest without a google account and use chrome without a google account then. You can even run as incognito in guest mode if you really care.
Re:Google offering free Chromebooks to Indian schools
by chestnut-tree on Friday December 27, 2013 @10:39AM
(#6970985)
You're right, but a guest account won't allow you to use Google apps - a key part of using ChromeBooks. But more importantly, why should you have to use a guest account in the first place in order to avoid sending your online activity to Google?
I know many posters here have no qualms about Google tracking their online behaviour, but at the very least I would expect Google to clearly state what they track and record when using ChromeOS. That's not an unreasonable expectation. It's something that Google does not provide.
Re:Google offering free Chromebooks to Indian schools
by patrickaljord on Saturday December 28, 2013 @10:31AM
(#6975179)
Using ChromeOS is just like using Chrome so it's the same thing. Both are open source and you can check and disable what kind of info Chrome sends to Google.
Why? This initiative is clearly in their own self-interest. That's not meant to be a cycnical jab, but just stating how it is.
Much more disturbing to me are the privacy implications. Since you cannot use a Chromebook without signing into the OS, Google has the potential to track everything you do on a Chromebook. And now they're giving these computers to kids.
Just stop and think about that for a few seconds. Over the course of a year, Google will potentially know every single website you visit, every document you print (even to your desktop printer), how ofen and when you use their online apps, and who knows what else? Their vaguely-worded privacy policies simply don't tell you what they track and record.
The privacy implications are horrendous in my view. Until Google clearly and unambiguosly state what they track and record I would never recommend using ChromeOS (that, plus the limited capabilities of the OS).