
Germany Restricts Facebook’s Data Gathering - jbegley
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/07/technology/germany-facebook-data.html
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johannes1234321
Discussion already in
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19104098](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19104098)

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redm
I must be missing something because Google collects more information from more
sources for more advertising. I'm more worried about Google.

* fixed a spelling error from the mobile post.

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Grollicus
This is an anti-trust case. Google has no monopoly in most of their endeavors,
for example there are thousands of email providers and ad networks.

On the other hand, they caught themselfes a fine last year over the inability
to "un-Google" Android phones:
[https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/18/technology/google-eu-
andr...](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/18/technology/google-eu-android-
fine.html)

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bubblethink
There has been no corresponding action in the US regarding the vendors'
ability to sell phones without google play services. Which is a shame because
I doubt if EU alone is a big enough market for vendors to create new products
without google play services. At least there haven't been any such
announcements about new products since the ruling. Is EFF or any other body
putting pressure in the US ?

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simplecomplex
Is it illegal to sell phones with google play services? Which law? Which case
is this?

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bubblethink
Without. TLDR: If you as a vendor sell a single phone with google play
services, you cannot sell any other AOSP based phone without google play
services. EU ruled against this. I don't know how the US allows this.

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Cyclone_
This will have a big impact on how much data they will have for advertisers,
I'm glad i sold off all my stock in them since I can see other governments
wanting to enact similar laws.

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simplecomplex
> The competition regulator ruled that Facebook would now have to obtain
> users’ permission before merging data from other sites.

So, more useless warnings like the cookie permission pop ups littered all over
the internet.

Who actually thinks this is a good thing? Why?

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checkyoursudo
Would this actually create a popup littered all over the internet?

Shouldn't this be a thing where, e.g., FB sends German users a message saying
something like "we'd like to integrate your data -- click here to opt in"?

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simplecomplex
You think that’s a good thing? And that the government is needed so Facebook
can give users a little confirmation dialog?

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ProAm
This is too little to late, we've already reached peak Facebook and the damage
is done. These laws need to be broader than one company to be effective.

