Sony Headphones now collecting Data from the Headphone App! OMG!

[-Jim-]

Hi Gents,

I'm Fxcking Mad at Sony.

A while ago I bought these WF-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Canceling Stereo Headset (Earbuds) and have been perfectly fine with them. I know I paid a premium for them as there are many competitors for this kind of headphones, but I wanted the best and was willing to buck up for them.

Like most folks, I just pop them in my ears and let them sync to my iPhone so I can listen to tunes or podcasts. Once in a blue moon I use them when traveling to sync to my Laptop so I don't have to bring my good but bulkier Bose Quietcomfort II.

Today on of my fat thumbs mistakenly tapped the Sony Headphones App on my iPhone and a box popped up with a new Privacy Policy which goes on for pages and pages which you must agree to to open the App. I started reading it and it seems to allow Sony to collect anything and everything it wants from you, and do what it likes with it, effective October 18, 2023.

After only reading half of it, I closed the App. I'm going to try to live without it as forcing folks to allow this personal data grab is Bullsh*t and should be illegal. I'm not a big fan of government poking their nose into my life, but here it would be most welcomed.

I need to cool off, so I'll go listen to some tunes => on speakers of course!

 

[Tankini]

I read an article about data mining, they get about .75 cent up to a buck for each person's Private data that they mine and sell off. We are followed all over the Internet with their cookies.
Every website does it Including this one it's very profitable for them. Same goes for those streaming services that put Dedicated buttons on remotes like Netflix, Prime, Tubi TV the pay the Manufacturers a dollar for each button that's put on a remote plus a dollar more when each unit is sold.

 

[Bobby Bass]

I share your frustration with companies gathering personal data especially when you have no choice with no ability to set preferences on the app. I have avoided some products, apps and websites for that very reason. My wife and I laugh every time I check out a pair of speakers online and she gets an add for them almost immediately after. Big brother is watching and tracking our every movement And action possible. Scary stuff post-Halloween

 

[Eppie]

Sometimes I think NA needs the same privacy laws that they have in Europe. At minimum you should have an opt out feature that does not reduce the functionality of the app.

Cookie tracking is a joke. When I buy something, I do the research, make a decision and make the purchase. I don't need dozens of ads for something I already purchased!

 

[Verdinut]

I have been avoiding memberships on online stores as well as apps that some propose. Those two communication features can bring annoying ads and become a possible threat to privacy to a certain point.

 

[MrBoat]

I just ordered a set of Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro from searching articles on this website. Immediately started getting ad suggestions and then immediately wrote the companies that sponsored the ads, informing them that they have now been sh!t-listed from any future business and I stick to it as much as possible. Some vendors were even using Amazon's purchase receipt mail to send me ads for Anderson Windows (I'll never buy an Anderson window even when I need new ones.) and a bunch of other spam ads. I informed Amazon and they couldn't stop it so, I blocked that portion of the transaction from sending me emails.

This is how effin hard up and greedy this predominantly service economy ends up being. So many people needing to get paid that don't make anything of value themselves. I must say, the delivery truck comes a lot less often than it used to now. This kind of crap has turned me off to dealing with online purchases unless it is fair, nonintrusive and pretty much completely necessary. My online purchases are down 70% from 2 years ago.

Adblock helps a lot, even though I suspect they mine too, most likely, but I don't have to see it and since I remove invasive ads from my purchase options, it doesn't happen so often anymore.