Getting out of Google +

[vision63]

You can very easily opt out of Google Plus integration and virtually every service that they have. You can see your location history every single day. From my perspective and a guy that's been accused of things over the years, the location history is more likely to save me than to prosecute me. I don't trust Google, Apple or any other self-serving corporation but in order to partake of these services via these devices whatareyougonnado?

https://maps.google.com/locationhistory/b/0.

It's really detailed and you can check each day and time for your fairly specific location. I'm sure Apple and Windows Phones are doing the same thing but I don't know how to access that info. You can opt out, but then lots of your stuff doesn't work. Also a good thing about Google's versions of "stuff" is when you want to quit it, they let you just straight up download whatever you uploaded in zip files.

[silvarios]

You can kind of opt out of Google+. Don't YouTube comments require it? Setting your age certainly does, and I needed to in order to watch videos from some of my favorite channels. Google+ is also required for group chats in Hangouts, right? I suppose you could just not use such features that require Google+.

[vision63]

silvarios wrote:
You can kind of opt out of Google+. Don't YouTube comments require it? Setting your age certainly does, and I needed to in order to watch videos from some of my favorite channels. Google+ is also required for group chats in Hangouts, right? I suppose you could just not use such features that require Google+.

You can choose not to "integrate" your Gmail account with Google +. You do that on your Google + settings page. It "is" your profile for all of Google services. If you comment on YouTube, you can click the checkbox if you want it to post to Google + or not, I don't believe you need Google + in order to use Hangouts. It's integrated in there but Hangouts is just as prominent on your Gmail web page. I think Hangouts can stand virtually alone. It also works just fine on my iPhone too.

There are two ways for the NSA to gather your data. Either by intercepting it or Google just handing it over. This is what they all should be judged on. They and most others already agree to not share with 3 parties. I trust none of them.

[silvarios]

I thought YouTube now required Google+ for commenting. As far as Hangouts, I can't join any of the Hangouts my dad keeps trying to send me invites for. I figured it was related to me having Google+ blocked on my account (I administer the domain and can block services).

[vision63]

I don't see any point to blocking it if that can resolve it. I would think that Hangouts can't fetch your profile info since Google + is your profile. The jury is out whether Hangouts can work without it. You should actually try Google + plus to follow Android Central or something. There's a pretty vigorous Apple "Community" that fun to follow.

[silvarios]

Because I don't want Google+. Seems like I should be able to block/disable features I don't want. I have generally avoided Hangouts anyway since Google killed XMMP to create another FaceTime (remember when Jobs promised an open standard???) and Skype proprietary vendor lockin mechanism. No thanks.

Similarly, I opted out of Skpe and FaceTime as well. Phone systems work because of interoperability, so does email. Chat has been a mess for almost two decades now.

[vision63]

It's your right to do what you want of course. But to what ends? You've got zero secrets.

[silvarios]

I haven't mentioned secrets once, that's not my primary problem with Google. I dislike corporate vendor lock in. I want open standards. That's my problem with all these silos being created. I want my data to be shared how, when, and where I wish. I don't need silos. I don't need walled gardens. I need people who can pick their software and hardware and still be able to communicate.

It's the same reason I don't use Word, tend not to like DRM, etc. I'm a free libre guy at heart. Yeah, weird I've owned so many Apple, Nintendo, and similar products, but I do prefer openness, even if I’ve too often compromised in return for a high quality closed product. It's why I mostly use Linux on my computers and Android on my mobile devices. Neither is perfect of course, but openness tends to be greater on such platforms than other mainstream alternatives.

I'm actually really excited for Firefox OS. That's where I want to be on mobile in the coming years. We just need a little bit more in the hardware department and I could see myself switching. The Geeksphone Revolution (currently the homepage has info about the Revolution, but that will change when newer devices are released) dual OS (Android and Firefox OS) is intriguing. What I would prefer is an actual dual booting option, not a wipe and switch option.

[vision63]

The Geeksphone looks pretty cool. But I think we would need GeeksNetwork to be truly independent.

[silvarios]

vision63 wrote:
The Geeksphone looks pretty cool. But I think we would need GeeksNetwork to be truly independent.

No doubt.