I currently use “The Transit App” for navigating by transit. How bad is that privacy wise? I know it tracks your location at least while you’re in the en route mode because it advertises that as part of its real time tracking system, and I’m torn on whether I’m okay with that given that I directly benefit from the improved real time data whenever someone else taking the same line is end route (you can see transit vehicles being tracked by another user’s app session vs data from the transit agency itself). Is there anything more shady going on with that app? Is there any way to tell whether it’s recording my motion sensors? Is the generic sounding name intentionally hiding that it’s made by the CIA or something?
The transit app does utilize motion sensor data to try to guesstimate your position while you are in subways or other areas with low GPS reception.
Here’s the privacy policy: https://transitapp.com/privacy-policy (Aug 14 2025 archive version). They have the who, what, where, when and why and how your data is used all in the policy. It’s quite readable, and on 3rd party data sharing, they list out what they collect and which third parties they give it to.
The app is made by a company based in Montréal, Québec, Canada. Personal information data is stored in Canada and the EU, location data not tied to your personal info is collected and stored in the US. The company has at present committed not to sell collected info to databrokers and advertisers, but they do provide it to researchers and transit agencies.
My privacy model is that if I am to consent to my data being collected, I need to receive a tangible benefit that is directly related to the data given. So location advertising to help myself and other people around me know where the bus is is an amazing benefit all around. So I use that feature.
A very uncharacteristically mature take here haha
Characteristically immature take here. Someday, these lot will stop falling for the same old privacy policy scam.
Removed by mod
Usually all data collected gives you a tangible benefit: cheaper (or free) services and devices.
You are correct and I get that. Where I get frustrated is when companies decide to, after I have agreed to share data for one purpose, but then later that data is sold or used instead for secondary unrelated purposes. The clearer and more upfront a company is with how they treat data, the more I can trust it. Of course because of the history of how many companies about-faced on this, that trust is not permanent.
As an aside, the current funding model for the company behind the app is subscriptions from users, and subsidies from transit agencies and local governments, such as Calgary Transit.
lmao, privacy policy never works, libre software does.
https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/comment/16219179
I am not sure how the Google settlement connects to your claim that privacy policies never work. Google is an ad company, so that is their priority over everything else.
I also said “at present”, and included the archive version, as I’m aware that if Transit sells out in one way or another their policy and app can change for the worse. But let’s be realistic about what it is right now, this is about the best you can expect from non-libre and closed-source.
A privacy policy never gives us control over an app. This app fails to have a libre software licence now, we do not control it.
When they get our data, nothing will bring that copy back. So, who’s waiting?
Let’s be realistic. We’ve lived our whole lives without their filth. We can reject it today.