[dheera]

What they really need to do is to simulate data for permissions that are rejected.

For example, if I reject location permissions, then play back a random GPS trail in a randomly selected city on the planet, complete with simulated error and drift. If I reject Wi-Fi scanning, then show a constantly changing set of fake access points. If I reject camera, then play back some cartoons or deepfaked video as a camera device.

The app should never have to know its permission request was denied.

[fauigerzigerk]

This would be a nice option to have, but it's only useful for a small number of tech affine people who know what they're doing. If the location doesn't agree with the IP address, the app would know it's not real. And if this is used with banks or payment services people are going to get their accounts disabled.

In general, I'm not sure spreading random fake news about yourself is such a great idea unless everybody does it. And everybody doesn't do it, because if everybody cared so much about these things the problem wouldn't exist in the first place.

[seoaeu]

If you do that, some users are going to land in a weird purgatory where they’ve denied camera permissions to their camera app or something, and be completely unsure of why the app is acting strangely or how to fix it

[jstanley]

Alternatively, refuse proprietary software.

If the users don't control the software, the software controls the users.

[dheera]

I could if I was famous and successful, but until then it's really hard to get anywhere socially and professionally by refusing proprietary things.

I can't just tell all my friends to use Signal, it's just not going to happen and would result in me getting left out of 95% of social events.

I do keep a separate phone for proprietary apps, though.

[georgeecollins]

Fake user data is the kryptonite of surveillance capitalism. I just want my browser to click on everything all the time whether I’m there or not.

[tintor]

+1 This should be the norm!

[chopin]

e/OS has this for GPS. Albeit globally and not per app.

[dheera]

Good, I actually want it to be global so that apps whose makers collude can't ask each other for it.