Lenovo caught shipping yet another spyware app on computers

[suicidalfranco]

This is being found on refurbished computers running Windows 7?

so it's okay for microsoft to include it on windows 10 but it's not okay for lenovo to put their own solution on windows 7? that seems like a messed up logic to me or just a double standard

[Nowak]

so it's okay for microsoft to include it on windows 10 but it's not okay for lenovo to put their own solution on windows 7? that's seems like a messed up logic to me

Well is it also okay for Google to spy on your Android phone? Because they have full access to your contacts, documents, music, installed apps, call history, downloads and yet I don't see anyone complaining about that. Microsoft just has access to what's stored on their servers.

[Atomicnerd64]

I'd rather use spyware that works than shitty software that doesn't spy on me

shitty software? whoa there big guy, calm those titties. there is one thing to say that you don't know how to use it or that it doesn't run your applications or even say that it's just not your taste and a whole different thing to call it shitty. I'm sorry but calling linux shitty is pure ignorance. maybe you haven't tried it or you haven't familiarized yourself with it but I can tell you that I only have 1 windows machine and that is a virtual machine in one of my systems. I turn that virtual machine on just to stream windows only games and that's it. so please try to rephrase what you said.

[itachipirate]

Two wrongs don't make a right. Many are doing it, doesn't mean it's adceptable.

 

Fight it.

That's not what I was saying, I was saying fight the bigger issue of spyware and do something about Microsoft

[suicidalfranco]

Well is it also okay for Google to spy on your Android phone? Because they have full access to your contacts, documents, music, installed apps, call history, downloads and yet I don't see anyone complaining about that. Microsoft just has access to what's stored on their servers.

yeah but then again android is open source, you always have aosp, and no one is forcing you to stick with google

[Nowak]

That's not what I was saying, I was saying fight the bigger issue of spyware and do something about Microsoft

I like how suddenly Microsoft is the world leader when it comes to data mining when Google's been doing that since at least 2000.

 

yeah but then again android is open source, you always have aosp, and no one is forcing you to stick with google

And how many people do you think are gonna compile a custom version of Android and flash it onto their phones?

[suicidalfranco]

And how many people do you think are gonna compile a custom version of Android and flash it onto their phones?

they're free to remain ignorant about it, fact is you have the option and it's just a search away

edit: let's not forget peeps over at xda making most of the job if they really want the easy way

[Nowak]

they're free to remain ignorant about it, fact is you have the option and it's just a search away

So that automatically makes Google's invasiveness okay?

feels a bit weird discussing this when I have an android phone

[suicidalfranco]

So that automatically makes Google's invasiveness okay?

feels a bit weird discussing this when I have an android phone

i'm not saying that it's okay, what i'm saying is that at least on android you have the option of not having google follow your every step

[Thomas CG]

Well, I'm not buying from lenovo anytime soon.

[dfsdfgfkjsefoiqzemnd]

And how many people do you think are gonna compile a custom version of Android and flash it onto their phones?

Probably not many, but it wasn't THAT hard really.  Then again I didn't start with AOSP as a basis.  I gutted CM12 and started from that.

 

You don't really need a custom ROM.  Any ROM that doesn't have the gapps package integrated will pretty much do the trick and lock Google out of your phone.  At that point it's just a matter of not using their services.

[Sauron]

Why would anyone want to buy a Lenovo PC now, if they're just gonna load it up with spyware and crapware?

 

Why would anyone not do a clean install at the very least on a new computer?

[Sharkyx1]

shitty software? whoa there big guy, calm those titties. there is one thing to say that you don't know how to use it or that it doesn't run your applications or even say that it's just not your taste and a whole different thing to call it shitty. I'm sorry but calling linux shitty is pure ignorance. maybe you haven't tried it or you haven't familiarized yourself with it but I can tell you that I only have 1 windows machine and that is a virtual machine in one of my systems. I turn that virtual machine on just to stream windows only games and that's it. so please try to rephrase what you said.

I don't have to rewrite my comments because I hurt someone's feelings, there is no reason for you to worry about what I think of Linux. I attempted to use Linux while home from school this summer and after 6 weeks I ended up with a bricked installation due to a failed driver update

This is after at a best case, having worse performance. Less compatibility, less stability

I wanted to give Linux the benefit of the doubt but the only place where it is even close to ready for prime time is in distributions such as steam os which hides any but the most basic features needed to run big picture steam.

[Octagoncow]

That's pretty upsetting. And to think I was planning on getting a Thinkpad for my next laptop.

[IAMSWIFT1]

Windows is spyware now

 

What can you do

Linux

[Nowak]

Why would anyone not do a clean install at the very least on a new computer?

Lenovo's been found to use an anti-theft BIOS feature introduced in Windows 8 to inject crapware into the OS instead of its intended purpose (y'know, anti-theft), so you'd need to get an unlocked BIOS too if you're gonna do a clean install. And good luck with that, knowing how locked-down Lenovo computers are.

[Yummychickenblue]

Good luck enforcing anything globally in this world. Even if you get the western countries to go along with it (yeah not gonna happen) you still have China to deal with.

Not only this but also you would need a physical contract with every service saying "Yes you can collect stuff about me" Or else you wouldn't get to use the service. Think about how many users Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Etc, have. Written contracts would take up way too much physical space. On top of that, account approval processes would slow to a crawl since companies would need to draw up contracts for every user they currently have and any future members, then they would need to wait for those contracts would need to approved.

 

We REALLY need to force a global bill of internet/electronic rights through our collective countries.

 

No spying without warrants

No collecting data without the express written consent of the consumer. No "It's in the EULA" bullshit. No implying consent.

Now while I don't agree with unwarranted spying. You would need to get sufficient data to get a warrant to collect data, something that you need to get a warrant to do. 

[Trik'Stari]

Not only this but also you would need a physical contract with every service saying "Yes you can collect stuff about me" Or else you wouldn't get to use the service. Think about how many users Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Etc, have. Written contracts would take up way too much physical space. On top of that, account approval processes would slow to a crawl since companies would need to draw up contracts for every user they currently have and any future members, then they would need to wait for those contracts would need to approved.

 

Now while I don't agree with unwarranted spying. You would need to get sufficient data to get a warrant to collect data, something that you need to get a warrant to do. 

Tell me this.

 

Exactly how many terrorist attacks have been stopped by warrantless spying on the entire population? To my knowledge, none. The only possible good that could come out of it is the thought that the NSA now has a MASSIVE treasure trove of information on congress, that we could use to put congress in prison.

 

If only they had the balls to just release that information to the internet.

[Yummychickenblue]

Tell me this.

 

Exactly how many terrorist attacks have been stopped by warrantless spying on the entire population? To my knowledge, none. The only possible good that could come out of it is the thought that the NSA now has a MASSIVE treasure trove of information on congress, that we could use to put congress in prison.

 

If only they had the balls to just release that information to the internet.

Most of that information isn't legally gathered. Illegally gathered information can be thrown out in court.

 

Also I'm not saying the NSA's activities should continue, but a warrant won't do much. They're already operating outside the law and saying a warrant is necessary won't stop them from spying anyway.

[Trik'Stari]

Most of that information isn't legally gathered. Illegally gathered information can be thrown out in court.

 

Also I'm not saying the NSA's activities should continue, but a warrant won't do much. They're already operating outside the law and saying a warrant is necessary won't stop them from spying anyway.

Court? Who said anything about a court? Why would we need a court when roughly 150 million people are pissed as hell, and recall all of their congressmen?

[cesrai]

Court? Who said anything about a court? Why would we need a court when roughly 150 million people are pissed as hell, and recall all of their congressmen?

I see a lot of bad things happening if what you're suggesting happens.

[Trik'Stari]

I see a lot of bad things happening if what you're suggesting happens.

I see a lot of bad things happening if congress and their corporate masters continue as they have.

[cesrai]

I see a lot of bad things happening if congress and their corporate masters continue as they have.

Two wrongs don't make a right does it ?

[Lethal Seraph]

I've persuaded a couple of people I know who's wanting to get the Lenovo brand laptops since the first round crapstorm they had... and now this.

[Prysin]

Windows is spyware now

 

What can you do

you can roll with Linux

ROW ROW FIGHT DA POWA!!!