I remember the Internet years before Google was a thing, so, yes. I remember when Gmail came out with 1GB which was absolutely unprecedented. Yahoo was giving 100MB, which was considered more than enough, and was more than enough for most people. 1GB seemed impossible to fill.

Shortly after, people began complaining of Google using your own email to market stuff to you and they were accused of snooping. They said they didn't, it was all automated, but we didn't really know. Google just gave us a bunch of free shit and most people never questioned why. I remember they said "don't be evil", but I'm not sure they ever meant it.

Google has ever really only wanted your data. They're a data broker. Search, Gmail, and Android all serve that end. Microsoft and Apple are computer companies. Apple makes the computer and the operating system. Microsoft just makes the software, but they also have the Surface line now. But their goal from the start has been every desk running Microsoft software, regardless of who makes the hardware.

Oh, I also remember when LG was called Zenith and TVs came in big wooden cabinets called consoles. That's not actually 100% right. Zenith died out and LG bought the brand. I think Zenith was American or maybe Canadian, somewhere in North America, and LG was always Korean AFAIK. Like how Motorola was American (that, I do know) and Lenovo is Chinese, and Lenovo bought Motorola. Still, the legacy of Zenith TVs, for better or worse, resides in LG's current legacy. A lot of people who used Zenith TVs use LG TVs and they don't know the connection. You tell them, and they're like "oh, that tracks." They just followed quality, and LG has made some quality screens... spying issues with software notwithstanding.

Eh. Which one? I once had a $10 Nokia phone that ran Windows... 8? The mobile version, I mean. I got it for shits and giggles. It was cheap and I thought, no way could this thing be good. It actually surprised me. I ended up gifting it to a friend who needed a phone. I think he got like 2 years out of that thing.

Windows Phone before the iPhone was trash though. The old smartphones. Most of them were hot garbage. The iPhone cleaned house for a reason. Later Windows phones weren't bad, they just didn't sell.

Very specifically says not fully blame. That means shared blame. Consumers keep eating shit with a spoon.

Its more than an opt in or out problem with LG.
You remember, oh a fukin month ago? LG installs spywear with no prompt when you plug in one of their monitors on a pc. This TV shit is more of the same and certainly more egregious than other brands.

I loved when Facebook took out a full page ad saying ATT was hurting small businesses. I love how Tim Cook introduced it. I'm paraphrasing, but he said something like "starting with iOS version whatever, Facebook will still be able to track you across the web via your iPhone. They just need your permission first." And he shows the prompt and shows that you can hit yes or no, or allow or decline, whatever it is. I actually have the setting that doesn't allow them to ask. They are allowed to make a case to you, but they can't track until you say yes or hit allow. And that's how it should be.

The thing is, people are looking real hard at what Apple is doing, and Apple is saying they're a privacy company. Their words are "Privacy. That's iPhone." But people are reporting that that isn't always the case. And now they have ads in Maps. They've had them in the App Store. They suppress apps that are free and only promote apps with recurring subscriptions. And I suppose that's their right, but the App Store itself is just so toxic these days. They're adding more ads. Those who say Google isn't an advertising company are straight up wrong, but they just remember when Google was a search company or an email company. Now they are an ad company. I'm wrong to say Apple is a computer company. They're a phone company now. It's close enough that I'm not being disingenuous. One day they may be an advertising company, too. But that's what people want. People buy phones from the advertising company over the phone/computer company for whatever reason. I'm not saying Apple is struggling. They're not. But they're following the money.