Ubuntu providing user data to Amazon

[4klips]

Today I came to know that Ubuntu is collecting user data and providing it to Amazon. I googled about it but didn't get any answer. What Amazon will do with our data? What data ubuntu is provinding to Amazon. Is there any privacy concern using Ubuntu. But I really like Ubuntu so I can't switch to other distros. Can anyone clearify the complete matter?

[SCHISCHKA]

from the legal notice found under "about this computer" in the menu where you shutdown or log out:

Quote

This search function is provided to you by Canonical Group Limited (Canonical). This legal notice applies to searching in the dash and incorporates the terms of Canonical's legal notice (and privacy policy). 

 

Collection and use of data

When you enter a search term into the dash Ubuntu will search your Ubuntu computer and will record the search terms locally. 

 

If you have opted in (see the “Online Search” section below), we will also send your keystrokes as a search term to productsearch.ubuntu.com and selected third parties so that we may complement your search results with online search results from such third parties including: Facebook, Twitter, BBC and Amazon. Canonical and these selected third parties will collect your search terms and use them to provide you with search results while using Ubuntu. 

 

By searching in the dash you consent to:

 

1. the collection and use of your search terms and IP address in this way; and
2. the storage of your search terms and IP address by Canonical and such selected third parties (if applicable).

 

Canonical will only use your search terms and IP address in accordance with this legal notice and our privacy policy. Please see our privacy policy for further information about how Canonical protects your personal information. For information on how our selected third parties may use your information, please see their privacy policies.

 

Online Search

By default the dash doesn’t send searches to third parties and you don't receive online search results. To enable this go to the Privacy panel and toggle the ‘Include online search results’ option to on. The Privacy panel can be found in your System Settings or via a dash search. For a current list of our selected third parties, please see www.ubuntu.com/privacy-policy/third-parties.

 

Changes

Although most changes are likely to be minor, Canonical may change this legal notice from time to time, and at Canonical's sole discretion. Please check this page from time to time for any changes to this legal notice as we will not be able to notify you directly.

 

How to contact us

Please submit any questions or comments about searching in the dash or this legal notice by contacting us at the following address: Canonical Group Ltd, 5th Floor, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London, England, SE1 0SU.

so you can turn it off and i do simply because i dont want that feature.

It integrates Internet search into the unity menu, which is kinda pointless for me as i have a habbit of using a web browser to do these things

 

[dfsdfgfkjsefoiqzemnd]

^^ What he said

 

When Cannonical introduced that feature, they turned it on by default.  The backlash was so massive that they soon made it opt-in, but at that point the damage was done.  This will leave a stain on their reputation for years to come. 

[4klips]

15 minutes ago, Captain Chaos said:

^^ What he said

 

When Cannonical introduced that feature, they turned it on by default.  The backlash was so massive that they soon made it opt-in, but at that point the damage was done.  This will leave a stain on their reputation for years to come. 

It means now it's not harmful. They have disabled it by default in 16.04?

[pmos]

Ubuntu being first aimed at the windows user, then the macOS user.. Does this not make sense? Thinking its users dont know any better like the 2 other OS'es.. Anyways my point is ubuntu will keep doing commercial things.. I would suggest you, if you love ubuntu, to go with another flavor of ubuntu, like xubuntu, linux mint, elementaryOS etc.

[dfsdfgfkjsefoiqzemnd]

1 minute ago, 4klips said:

They have disabled it by default in 16.04?

Should have.  It started in 12.10 IIRC, and by 14.04 it was opt-in.  I switched to Mint at that point so I'm not sure how things are now in Ubuntu-land.

[4klips]

4 minutes ago, pmos said:

Ubuntu being first aimed at the windows user, then the macOS user.. Does this not make sense? Thinking its users dont know any better like the 2 other OS'es.. Anyways my point is ubuntu will keep doing commercial things.. I would suggest you, if you love ubuntu, to go with another flavor of ubuntu, like xubuntu, linux mint, elementaryOS etc.

I like the default unity environment. That's what motivated me to look into Linux from a windows user.

[pmos]

1 minute ago, 4klips said:

I like the default unity environment. That's what motivated me to look into Linux from a windows user.

I heard they are going to drop using unity in a future release.

[4klips]

2 minutes ago, pmos said:

I heard they are going to drop using unity in a future release.

Yup they are shifting again to GNOME 3. So, I can use it till 2020 I think. 

[pmos]

1 minute ago, 4klips said:

Yup they are shifting again to GNOME 3.

they will most likely make it look like unity in a way or another, as "Ubuntu Gnome" already is an official distro

 

https://ubuntugnome.org

[4klips]

So, basically I can't to anything until they disable it by themselves. 

Thanks guys for helping.

[pmos]

40 minutes ago, 4klips said:

So, basically I can't to anything until they disable it by themselves. 

Thanks guys for helping.

afaik its not enabled anymore, and if it is, you can remove the packages.

[4klips]

39 minutes ago, pmos said:

afaik its not enabled anymore, and if it is, you can remove the packages.

Now I understand. Thanks man

[SCHISCHKA]

4 hours ago, 4klips said:

So, basically I can't to anything until they disable it by themselves. 

Thanks guys for helping.

When I had a look earlier it seems the thrid party nasty spying stuff is disabled unless you connect your google/facebook/friendface account.

There is an option under settings > Security & privacy that may be on default; one to record what you type such as the last application you launched, and another is to include online results in the launcher.

If you dont like any of this stuff being installed I would install Ubuntu Server and installed a different desktop than Unity. Removing Unity from the desktop install might be problematic with breaking all sorts of dependencies.

[4klips]

7 minutes ago, SCHISCHKA said:

When I had a look earlier it seems the thrid party nasty spying stuff is disabled unless you connect your google/facebook/friendface account.

There is an option under settings > Security & privacy that may be on default; one to record what you type such as the last application you launched, and another is to include online results in the launcher.

If you dont like any of this stuff being installed I would install Ubuntu Server and installed a different desktop than Unity. Removing Unity from the desktop install might be problematic with breaking all sorts of dependencies.

What if I don't search in Ubuntu application search bar for online content. And search only in a browser. Then?

[SCHISCHKA]

10 minutes ago, 4klips said:

What if I don't search in Ubuntu application search bar for online content. And search only in a browser. Then?

I dont know because i have it turned off. You could log network packets and see if they phone home when you type

[4klips]

1 minute ago, SCHISCHKA said:

I dont know because i have it turned off. You could log network packets and see if they phone home when you type

How can I log network packets?

And what do you mean by phone home?

[Wild Penquin]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoning_home

 

I think it is already quite clear from this thread, that they changed it into an opt-in option. That being said, I guess you can never be too paranoid.