
PigeonTransit's Misleading Privacy Claims - luu
https://twitter.com/nicholasbs/status/1135323021852532737
======
oh_sigh
I don't know if I'm reading the twitter thread right(I only see 1 post), but I
don't see how it is misleading for an app to be owned by google, and for the
TOS to say 'we won't share the information with anyone'.

It isn't a given that any data google has it will use or share. For example,
they don't look at data you have stored on their cloud file storage service.

I'd actually trust Google more than some random company to stick to their
privacy statement.

And finally, I can understand why this isn't branded as a Google product if it
comes from area 120, which is an internal incubator.

~~~
ajdlinux
The issue is "we won't share the information with anyone" is likely to be
interpreted by the average user as "we won't share the information outside our
cool little startup which makes this awesome Pigeon app", rather than "we
won't share the information outside our friendly megacorp Google".

~~~
jsty
But considering most app terms allow for transfer of data to the purchaser on
buy-out, and the fate of many a 'cool little startup' is to be bought out by a
large company, momentary independence isn't really a much greater guarantee
that your data won't be sitting in a megacorp soon.

------
greenyoda
You also have to dig pretty deep on Pigeon Transit's web site
([https://pigeontransit.com](https://pigeontransit.com)) to see that it's
really part of Google.

From the FAQ:

> Who created Pigeon?

> Pigeon is lovingly designed and built by a small team based in New York as a
> part of Area 120 - a workshop for experimental products.

You then have to follow another link to "Area 120", which takes you to
area120.google.com and finally tells you:

> Area 120 is a workshop for Google's experimental products.

It's interesting that Google launched their app on iOS before Android. Also
from the FAQ:

> We’re currently focused on learning and testing with iOS users in NYC, but
> we hope to bring Pigeon to Android soon.

~~~
jlv2
I'm not so sure that a click on "Who Created Pigeon" and then a click on "Area
120" counts as "dig pretty deep".

~~~
evrydayhustling
Not deep as in "deserves a Pulitzer", but plenty deep enough for
"intentionally misleading".

------
optimizingme
What's even more interesting is how Twitter has locked the number of likes and
retweets.

This hit the front page of HN. Myself and many others liked and retweeted it.

The likes and retweets haven't gone up. Just 17 likes, 1 retweet.

[https://twitter.com/OptimizingMe/status/1135731744496209920?...](https://twitter.com/OptimizingMe/status/1135731744496209920?s=19)

~~~
SECProto
Shows me 4 + 23. Twitter is pretty bad about caching those numbers, you
generally can't see them change easily. Try checking a private Window?

~~~
optimizingme
I tested multiple browsers (not logged in, regular and private) and the
Android client.

I suspect some kind of IP based metric.

Twitter metrics are pretty real time for me normally.

~~~
SECProto
24 hours later: 8 + 38. Seems fine.

------
CaliforniaKarl
"Report a security or privacy vulnerability": [https://support.apple.com/en-
us/HT201220](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201220)

I understand wanting to raise the word on Twitter, but I really don't think
that is a solution for notifying Apple using their established contact
process.

~~~
paxys
Going viral on Twitter is going to get something taken care of a LOT faster
than putting in a customer service ticket.

