I've checked the outgoing internet connections that are being established while I'm surfing on steemit.com and it seems that on every page I visit (account too) we are sending data to the big G and the big F! What's going up here?
I don't want to be analysed by external, big companies here and thought this would not be the case on Steemit... I've installed the FF Addon "NoScript" and managed to block these connections, but I think most people don't know how to do this, right?
This should reach everyone on Steemit, so please take further steps for accomplishing that! Thanks!
UPDATE
After further research, I've noticed that even the font for displaying text on Steemit is loaded by using the Google APIs. As developer I ask myself: What are we doing here? Why don't we use a nice, free TTF/OTF/WOFF/EOT font without having to use G for that?
I think G & FB scripts should not be active here by default. That is one reason, why I am on Steemit. I thought, we would be free here. There are better ways and we should go them for not losing many nice people on this great platform.
What will happen, if one of the big is not reachable for some reason? We should learn from the past and know that this can take us down by external influence ;)
Why don't we use Piwik instead of Google Analytics? It's nearly the same, but with a big difference: The data is being saved on the Steemit server and not in a Google account.
I've no problem with the collecting of data by Steemit. I've a problem with big, external companies knowing how I moved my mouse while I'm surfing on Steemit.
Since I'm blocking the scripts, Steemit has become much faster for me and I now get all the notifications for the last day, which did not show up automatically in the last time!
IMPORTANT HINT
This is not about attacking Steemit. Steemit is a really great platform. This is about not losing the trust of many people and about making Steemit better by finding a solution, which is acceptable for all the Steemit users.
Keep in mind
Trust is like paper. Once it's crumpled, it can't be perfect again ;)
Thanks for your support!
English is not my native language, but I hope my words are nevertheless understandable for you.
Google Analytics is a pretty powerful tool for web developers. I'm guessing they added it to track growth but I'm with ya that we shouldn't be sharing data with enemies of free speech.
This x1000
Well said!
Clearly it's a bug in their code :)
Its to do with the social media share buttons at the bottom of every post isnt it?
I'm a developer and I know that there are better solutions for this. The buttons should not be active as long as the user does not use them. I think G & FB scripts should not be active here by default. That is one reason, why I am on Steemit. I thought, we would be free here. There are better ways and we should go them for not losing many nice people on this great platform.
Is this ongoing?
Hehe, that was 2 years ago... ^^ Great to see that Steemit found a solution through separating the wallet from the posting site. Since I'm using SteemWorld for all wallet features, I never signed in to their wallet page, but I think it's good to have it in case of a downtime.
You gonna build something so I can send a link to my pic and some sbd to an account so I can rent that square on steemworld?
Auto sizing would help.
Here's my opinion:
Thanks for your well thought post! I think in most points you are right, but I still have some things to mention. Developers tend to use easy implementable solutions and there will be a reason, why they did this in this case too. Since this is still in beta work in progress, I currently see it like a bug, which never got fixed, because it may take some time and the system still works without fixing it.
This explanation fits to the question, why we use Google search here, as well. In the end we will need to develop an own search tool, because many people want to search for a word in a specific topic. It would even be possible to search for lost content, which may have been missed by other users, but still is great content. I think of a search tool that can do things like: (show me all posts with words "X" from yesterday in category "X" with more/less than "X" views)...
The things NSA is doing don't interest me here. I've a problem with the scripts running on every page, without a reason for people, who don't use any functionalities of it. My words "I don't like that they know, how I move my mouse on Steemit" is my mild form for saying: "I don't like that an external company is able to read, what I enter into a password field on Steemit". Since here is money involved and some people may have lots of it in their account, it may be relevant for all of us...
You've highlighted an important issue, @steemchiller
One Steemit USP is that the blockchain enables a censor-resistant, anonymized platform.
It would be interesting to see how this would play out.
I don't know if it is related but if you click the search button on top of Steemit menu you can see that the results are from Google. And as @fortified commented here before, there are posts share buttons to social media sites in every Steemit page.
I'm a developer and I know that there are better solutions for this. The buttons should not be active as long as the user does not use them. I think G & FB scripts should not be active here by default. That is one reason, why I am on Steemit. I thought, we would be free here. There are better ways and we should go them for not losing many nice people on this great platform.
I understand, Steemit is the main but not the only of the apps and websites that runs over the Steem blockchain. For now there are other options like Busy.org, eSteem and Steepshot that also work over the Steem blockchain. I don't know if they have the same issues with G & FB. Thanks and good luck again!
Mmm, that's not good. I've installed NoScript too :) Thanks for the heads-up.
Can i install this on a tablet, and do i need too...i have been worried about this
I don't know, but I think there will be anything like that. But you should know that as long as the operating system is running in background and it's not a clean Linux installation, you can never be sure, if that will do the job ;)
Yes, i think so
Thanks amigo
Yup. My steemit experience changed drastically in the past couple days. I'm super disappointed.
Why facebook? Are they scared of people leaving already?
This might have to do with the share buttons or other Facebook API features, that are planned. I'm ok with that, but I think these scripts should not automatically be activated for users that don't want to use facebook anymore.
Agree totally.
I assumed something like this was going one. At least we are getting paid for it. Microsoft, Google and Facebook don't even give us the decency.
Can this be done by default?
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Hmm, interesting discussion!
Whoa....something new that I didn't even notice until you mentioned it @steemchiller thanks for sharing! Following you~
Thank you! I just enjoy doing things for freedom of humanity ;) Following you too ~
@steemchiller thanks for following! Haha...looking forward to your updated posts. Well benefit of western society is freedom of speech and freedom of expression, lol~ Come back and visit mine, and build a strong community together :)
I use Piwick, and I avoid Google Analytics normally. I have a lot of web-related questions for the Steeemit devs, but I don't know who to ask and where to make my voice heard.
The same goes for me! We people are Steemit. I decided not to ask, but to bring this to the trending page. I won't stop sharing new posts that link to this one, until I got the attention of most people here. I'm sure this is a HUGE topic!
What the fuck.... I come away from there, and then start the same shit here :(((((
Yes, I thought the same and I know that many people share this opinion. I've no problem with collecting data by Steemit. I've a problem with big, external companies knowing how I moved my mouse while I'm surfing on Steemit.
Hard to understand how steemit can use google analytics? Google analytics is just a way for google to get data from most of the websites around the world.
Yes, it's really hard to understand... In German words as a developer I would call this "Altlast". Like a bug, that never got fixed, because the platform still works without fixing it. But in the reactions here to this topic I can see, that there are many people who want to have it fixed. I think that they have to hear the voices of the people and find a solution for this.
Thanks for keeping me informed, I am still trying to understand this stuff, I wanted to be a hacker in middle school and then my computer broke and I lost interest. Steemit is the first thing since back that has made me want to understand how this stuff works.
I'm no hacker, but a guy with many years experience in developing software, apps, websites and database administation. I've just checked what my browser is doing, when I'm surfing on Steemit and noticed some odd things :)
Thanks for the info @steemchiller.
I'm Reestiming in wait of any response.
Regards.
Thanks for your support!
I suspected this,.. but thank you for confirming. resteemed!
Thanks for your support!
Could it be because people have these installed. On the device? Most people don't read terms and conditions. It's a lot more in depth that sharing camer/photo app. Has anyone tried it where non of this is there?
I'm sitting at my laptop and I've nothing of that kind installed on my device. The scripts seem to get loaded by default in browser. I don't know, if that's the case for your device too, but I assume it is.
Are you signed in? On one of those on your laptop?
No!
OK over my head here..And I know I do not know a lot.
So correct me if I am wrong... steemit runs on block chain,which is open source, so anyone who wants can see it(?) If you can read the chain (?) Right... I know it is stated that anything posted is permanently on the block chain,and cannot be removed...
I admit I do not understand how this stuff works and can not read code or do any programming...
Just my (commonon sense) understanding that if it is online someone somewhere can gain access and read it or process it...
🤠
Namaste
The data yes. But not how you move your mouse or what you are typing in a password field on Steemit will be saved in the chain. These things could be analysed by the G & F scripts and with that I've a problem.
OK. Thanks. Been stuck on the side of the road... Trying to get onto this internet super highway...Need to virtualize my ride...Lol...My Subaru doesn't seam to navigate it too well...lol
NOOOOO! Say it isn't so!
I don't think SteemIt is ready for a legal battle with G and F, it is best at this point in time to capitulate to any action G and F might find favorable.
The threat SteemIt may lose ownership of Steem is still looming at this time. Some people may want this outcome, in that case... carry on with your complaints.
How would they lose ownership? Not being a smarty...serious question.
If they are legally obligated to pay all currently owned SteemPower as compensation for owed amounts of USD or other fiat.
Such amounts could become owed via civil lawsuit...
thanks for answering.
They're selling our information to get money to pay us!
As i mentioned in another post: It's really hard to understand why they use Google Analytics here... In German words as a developer I would call this "Altlast". Like a bug, that never got fixed, because the platform still works without fixing it. But in the reactions here to this topic I can see, that there are many people who want to have it fixed. I think that they have to hear the voices of the people and find a solution for this.
I could see why they would give our data to google, but why Facebook?
I'm not a big fan of FB or any other social media but I really thought that Steemit is different.. I am still going to stay here in Steemit just because I think this is the best option there is but I will definitely keep this in mind.
Thank you for sharing this, I would resteem this if I could, just to spread the word!
I'd bet on crapitalism paying them for the direct access and permissions from stinc, but what do I know?
Thank you so much for pointing that out, it needs to be changed. Also why are we using Google Search, it should be replaced by Duck Duck Go.
I do not think that this can have anything to do with dtube, because the dtube videos get opened in a new tab/window and there it should not be the case that Facebook/Google scripts are running there. I will definitely make a post about this in the near future ;)
It's because the resteem function can only be used while the post is active (the first 7 days). As there is no possibility to upvote a post (add $) after that it would not make so much sense ;)
Thanks to all of you for your support! After further research, I've noticed that even the font for displaying text on Steemit is loaded by using the Google APIs. As developer I ask myself: What are we doing here? Why don't we use a nice free TTF/OTF/WOFF/EOT font without having to use G for that? I need a break to get over this and some sleep for new energy. I hope that this will reach more people until I'm back.
Hope so too! I've never tried this for mobile, but I think there must be something like that.