7 ms·

I started getting a PhD in device fingerprinting and quit when it became apparent that my views were relatively far removed from most people in the field. I’m

I started getting a PhD in device fingerprinting and quit when it became apparent that my views were relatively far removed from most people in the field. I’m trying to say that the current privacy situation is good enough. The status quo can’t be abused such that money can be made.

danShumway 3y ago
Does it cause you to feel any doubt that the vast majority of the professionals in that field disagree with that conclusion? I mean, you're saying that the majority of privacy researchers who are studying this topic view the current state of Internet privacy as a problem, and it's such a large majority that you felt like sticking around in the field would not be worth your time. Are all of those researchers wrong?
- comfypotato 3y ago
  It was on completely ideological grounds that we differed. (Which is also against the HN rules to argue about.) I was attracted to the industry effectively to verify authentication through device fingerprinting. Others, en masse, are drawn because they don’t like the current privacy situation. Can you imagine someone being attracted to marine biology that didn’t like fish? It’s perfectly reasonable to say that, yes, I disagree with the majority of the field. In this instance, “I don’t like fish.”
  - DANmode 3y ago
    You're also claiming that fish aren't at risk from the fisheries, which is super unusual for someone claiming to speak from within the industry!
    - comfypotato 3y ago
      Well, that’s how the other side feels, yes. The closest thing this entire thread has given as evidence of overfishing is that a journalist was killed for meddling in government affairs, which has nothing to do with overfishing.
DANmode 3y ago
I'm sure that's why segments of world governments are (attempting?) dismantling Google Ads for their unethical behavior. Cambridge Analytica didn't bring anyone money? You missed some reading, dude.
- comfypotato 3y ago
  Segments of the world with different ideological views represented by their governments. If the behavior was blatantly unethical, which I don’t think it is, it would be illegal everywhere. Just because my opinion is different than the popular opinion doesn’t make it anti-vax. Grow up and open your mind. The Cambridge Analytica scandal was prosecuted under the current privacy situation. My ire with the level-0 comment was in it stating that the current situation doesn’t work. Also downloading random apps off Facebook is hardly behavior that a privacy conscious person would take. Not to mention that the use of the data, unless I’m missing something, did no more than make people uncomfortable.

danShumway 3y ago

Does it cause you to feel any doubt that the vast majority of the professionals in that field disagree with that conclusion? I mean, you're saying that the majority of privacy researchers who are studying this topic view the current state of Internet privacy as a problem, and it's such a large majority that you felt like sticking around in the field would not be worth your time. Are all of those researchers wrong?

comfypotato 3y ago
It was on completely ideological grounds that we differed. (Which is also against the HN rules to argue about.) I was attracted to the industry effectively to verify authentication through device fingerprinting. Others, en masse, are drawn because they don’t like the current privacy situation. Can you imagine someone being attracted to marine biology that didn’t like fish? It’s perfectly reasonable to say that, yes, I disagree with the majority of the field. In this instance, “I don’t like fish.”
- DANmode 3y ago
  You're also claiming that fish aren't at risk from the fisheries, which is super unusual for someone claiming to speak from within the industry!
  - comfypotato 3y ago
    Well, that’s how the other side feels, yes. The closest thing this entire thread has given as evidence of overfishing is that a journalist was killed for meddling in government affairs, which has nothing to do with overfishing.

DANmode 3y ago

I'm sure that's why segments of world governments are (attempting?) dismantling Google Ads for their unethical behavior. Cambridge Analytica didn't bring anyone money? You missed some reading, dude.

comfypotato 3y ago
Segments of the world with different ideological views represented by their governments. If the behavior was blatantly unethical, which I don’t think it is, it would be illegal everywhere. Just because my opinion is different than the popular opinion doesn’t make it anti-vax. Grow up and open your mind. The Cambridge Analytica scandal was prosecuted under the current privacy situation. My ire with the level-0 comment was in it stating that the current situation doesn’t work. Also downloading random apps off Facebook is hardly behavior that a privacy conscious person would take. Not to mention that the use of the data, unless I’m missing something, did no more than make people uncomfortable.