[advisedwang]

> Device and OS makers should ...

It sounds like you expect them to do this without intervention.

Device and OS makers are not doing this now, and have had plenty of opportunity to do so. If anything the device/OS situation is getting worse - just look at windows requiring accounts, recommending apps and sending telemetry or ChromeOS embedding Google into your device.

So we do need an external force like the FTC to make change happen.

[winternett]

It's meant as a target for what the focus and outcome of what the FTC's work should reflect.

We've already been through several attempts of analysis of policy for app makers, a lot of time has been wasted. Companies already have huge volumes of data on consumers even if gathering was to be shut down now.

Regulation should also address deletion of personally identifiable information that they've already gathered with a well defined policy for moving forward. This issue is far beyond the point where regulatory action should have been taken.

[pessimizer]

> Companies already have huge volumes of data on consumers even if gathering was to be shut down now.

This is a thing that I keep telling people that no one seems to realize. If by some miracle all of the surveillance stopped now, the data already collected would still be effective for some future bad actor to use 10-20 years from now. I don't think that most companies would keep the data for that long, or many for even very long after some theoretical regulation, but they would certainly sell it to someone who would, and the NSA will be interested in copies of what it doesn't have.

If, 20 years from now, in a new town with new friends and a new job, living under a new government, it becomes important that people don't know you are gay, you're out of luck.