[grawprog]

With a stock, store bought android rom with google play services and such?

It might help anonymize your device.

If you sign into a network regularly that you use with devices you sign into google with, or a network google associates you.with, they might correlate you with the device.

If you follow your normal routine of locations, browsing or other behaviour google is aware of, google may associate the device with what it knows about you.

It's kind of hard to say though, Google's data collection is somewhat opaque in regards to things it collects to associate you to other things.

I have noticed a few occasions where google has given me suggestions or ads based on searches i've made or on devices that I'm not signed into or associated me with data available only from such devices, other times not.

This is just anecdotal though so make of it what you will.

[2Gkashmiri]

Good but who are "you" to google? Unless you sign in, you are just number on which they have data but not tied to an account. Right?

[pdkl95]

You are only "just [a] number" for a very brief period. As soon as you generate enough data points[1] to establish a recognizable subset of your pattern-of-life, the not-signed-in account can (and probably will) be correlated with your other accounts, some of which probably have data that identifies the real "you".

One of the most common mistakes people make when discussing the data collected by someone like Google is only considering the data in isolation. In reality, data is often combined with other databases.

[1] The minimum number of data points might can be very small: handful of timestamped locations at your home and job is probably unique, matching browser fingerprints if you used the same browser for logged-in and not-logged-in activity, or - as this is Google and their OS - maybe even simply a single even: hearing a MAC address known to be om your home wifi over the radio.

[theshrike79]

Someone with more writing and artistic skills really should make a comic strip or something about this. One we could share with less technical people.

Even technical people really don't seem to understand how far data aggregation can go. Multiple small information points are collated into profiles, you need to be Jason Bourne -levels of vigilant to not create a trackable fingerprint online.

[pdkl95]

An informative comic would be great. I have unsuccessfully tried to create a video game mechanic (ludonarrative) that demonstrates how data aggregation can be exploited. Giving people a little bit of personal experience on the other side trying to [ab]use data could be a very effective teaching tool. I suspect most people (including, as you mentioned, most technical people!) have never really thought about how personal data might be used as a weapon.

The amazing game "Papers, Please" demonstrated that a game based around an educational ludonarrative is not only possible, but can also be be relatively popular. Unfortunately, just like drawing, video game design is difficult.

> you need to be Jason Bourne -levels of vigilant to not create a trackable fingerprint online.

As Zoz said, "Don't Fuck It Up!"[1]. Any type of OPSEC has become extremely difficult. Even technically knowledgeable people that risk consequences of failure far worse than being tracked by Google screw up their OPSEC.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1q4Ir2J8P8

[drivebycomment]

https://desfontain.es/privacy/us-census-reconstruction-attac... is a pretty good explanation on those concepts.

[2Gkashmiri]

yes. exactly. i guess xkcd must have already done something on this given the depth of knowledge that guy has on the internet. if nothing, if anyone knows that guy, he can do it in 3 panels i'm sure.

[2Gkashmiri]

how far does pi-hole and similar tech help in this regard? i am genuinely curious about their role in reduction in data collection or at least preventing its exfiltration