

Google under fire for sending users' information to developers - likarish
http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-google-under-fire-for-sending-users-information-to-developers-20130213,0,7558815.story

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Pkeod
[https://plus.google.com/106557483623231970995/posts/Bed6WUJp...](https://plus.google.com/106557483623231970995/posts/Bed6WUJpNi4)

"With apple's app store you buy the apps from apple. With google play you buy
the apps from the developer. If you are the merchant of record you need to
know the address to correctly compute sales tax.

This is documented on [http://support.google.com/googleplay/android-
developer/bin/a...](http://support.google.com/googleplay/android-
developer/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=138000)

Google cannot give tax advice, so we have to give you the data to make the
determination yourself"

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codeka
I'm not sure why this is only coming up now, it's been this way since day one.
I do think this is the best way (making the developer the merchant) but
perhaps it should be better communicated.

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doe88
I compare that to the http referer sent by browsers, it's useful for
developers, highly unknown from non-developers and it's not really good from a
privacy standpoint. I don't really know where the line between helping
developers and protecting privacy must be drawn but in doubt I've the weakness
to always err on the side of privacy.

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pyman
This is shameful. But what's worst is Barry Schwartz defending Google and
saying that his employer does the right thing by giving away personal
information and turning a user into a customer.

Barry, the technologist, speaking like a salesperson.

So, is he suggesting that if I go to my local supermarket and I buy milk, Visa
should give them my my personal details? Or if I go to the cinema, or a
restaurant? Nonsense! What are these companies going to do with my personal
details? Is the supermarket going to call me during the weekend to offer me
more milk? Or is McDonalds going to call me while I make love to my beautiful
wife to tell me about their latest promo?

Nonsense Barry, nonsense!

What Google is doing in wrong and what you are saying is dumb.

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arindone
What gets me is that most of the comments here are <i>defending</i> Google for
sending your information to developers; however if any other independent
site/app took your information and sent it to a third party without your
permission there would be uproars and articles in tech blogs, etc...

A bit of a double standard if you ask me...

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darec1
I heard the microsoft mobile store works the same way? Like ebay? And what
about Amazon, is their app store in any ways like their "seller central"?

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Xion
This sheds somewhat different light on the reasons why paid apps aren't that
popular in Play market. It's not only about users being (allegedly) reluctant
to pay for their apps but also about developers wanting to spare themselves
the headache of dealing with customers' data directly.

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fpgeek
There are similar complexities in the iOS world. It's just the particular
details that are different. See, for example,
[http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/Langua...](http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/LanguagesUtilities/Conceptual/iTunesConnect_Guide/5_SigningContractsandBanking/SigningContractsandBanking.html)

