this post was submitted on 19 Jul 2023
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https://discussion.fedoraproject.org/t/straw-poll-on-your-preferences-about-opt-in-opt-out-for-possible-data-collection/85675/2

This poll is a bit hard to understand but essentially you could vote for multiple options, the highest opt-out option is at 26%, meaning 74% of people oppose this idea.

The original proposal is at 16%, for a jarring 84% disapproval rate.

Despite overwhelming negative feedback, Red Hat is currently drafting a revised proposal.

But what about Red Hat?

This is the link to the proposal: https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/Telemetry#Privacy-preserving_Telemetry_for_Fedora_Workstation

These parts are all interesting and contradict some people who argue Red Hat has no hand in this issue:

Name: Michael Catanzaro Email: <mcatanzaro@redhat.com>

and

The Red Hat Display Systems Team (which develops the desktop) proposes to enable limited data collection of anonymous Fedora Workstation usage metrics.

and

It is Fedora Legal's obligation to ensure our data collection complies with legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which Red Hat operates

and

Occasionally, Red Hat might need to collect specific metrics to justify additional time spent on contributing to Fedora or additional investment in Fedora.

The quotes above were handpicked. There are 7 matches for "Red Hat" in the link above, not counting the email address.

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[–] conciselyverbose@kbin.social 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No, you cannot. Every single bit of data collected, completely unconnected to your identify, is a violation of the privacy of the user. Connecting it to a user is worse, but that's irrelevant. Literally zero data created by the user can ever be acceptable to collect without their explicit decision to give it to you.

It does not and cannot matter how much less useful it makes the data. Taking it completely unconnected to anyone is a breach of privacy in every case.

[–] Molecular0079@lemmy.world -5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think you're expanding the concept of privacy beyond what most people are concerned about. I think its great that you have such a hard line stance on privacy, but to be honest from a practical standpoint, it's total overkill.

[–] conciselyverbose@kbin.social 14 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

That's what privacy is. It's not getting spied on by programs on your computer phoning home.

If you collect any data whatsoever that isn't strictly opt in, you do not respect the privacy of your users. That's a tautology. There's no way around it. You have a right to nothing.

[–] WimpyWoodchuck@feddit.de -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If that is your stance, then there is literally zero privacy anymore. Zilch.

If I'm walking down the street and somebody marks that one person walked down the street, does that invade my privacy?

In that case, how does the concept of privacy even matter anymore? There is none, and there never will be.

[–] conciselyverbose@kbin.social 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The street a public space.

Your computer is not. If someone came into your home without permission and sent data back to some random company, you'd have them arrested.

[–] Molecular0079@lemmy.world -1 points 1 year ago

I mean sure, you can be dramatic and compare it to spying programs, or you can consider it like your average government census that prioritizes government programs to your benefit, except in this case its collecting WAY less data and it isn't even attributed to you in any way.

Honestly, I think its fine you think that way, but you have to realize its a bit like living in a cave, completely disconnected from everybody. Not everyone thinks that Linux should go that route.