Google has decided to rename Lake Ontario in the US. Please uninstall Google Maps.

While I understand they’re pulling data from the US government, they have no actual legal obligation to comply. This is entirely a choice an executive at Google made.

Did you know: When you click a link on Google and then go there Google tracks your location and links it to all your ads. This feature is called Local Search Ads, and you can hit Google’s pocketbook directly in protest by not having Google Maps installed.

When you have Google Maps installed Google is always tracking you. That tracking data feeds into a lot of products: things like mapping cell and wifi networks to geolocations, ads, recaptcha, search, and more. Google stores a profile of who you are, where you live, where you work, who you visit, etc.

If uninstalling is too much for you go to your Google account and disable Location History in privacy settings. Alternatively, click your user profile icon and turn on incognito mode, which disabled tracking and other features.

This will reduce the data linked to your profile (though, in reality, there’s no assurance this does anything, like when that disabled Nest camera was used by the FBI last year).

Browsing without an account does not have the effect. If you simply log out you have no privacy limitations enabled.

  • godsammitdam@lemmy.zipEnglish
    4·
    11 days ago

    I’ve been using OSMAnd for a while now. Having locally download maps is pretty nice imo. It also has better directions imo, showing the lane to use, the street name or exit, and even shoes the bext upcoming direction. I’ve had google just say “take the next exit.”

    It doesn’t have traffic data, but that makes sense, so no updated detours if there’s roadwork or rush hour, etc. Unless I’m just new and don’t know how to add that yet haha. But I believe this is a big one for most foss alternatives.

    Another one is that I can’t set it as a default response when in browser so clicking “directions” from a search won’t prompt OSM. Just have to manually add the address.

    Small update: I just learned about GeoShare. It can redirect google map link coordinates from a browser directly to your map of choice (OSMAnd, CoMaps, etc)

    • [object Object]@lemmy.caOPEnglish
      2·
      13 days ago

      I wonder how hard it would be to make traffic tracking in an OSM map app.

      Obviously you need a backend, but the app Transit does a good job demonstrating that you only need a few people in an area reporting location to set time estimates.

      Traffic correlates with people, so it’s easier to get critical mass than you’d think.

      Construction is still the hard problem.