• StarkZarn@infosec.pub
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    1 day ago

    You joke, but I guarantee there’s a market. Consider health insurance companies that see an opportunity to charge everyone more unless they can prove their good brushing habits via app data.

    • Tja@programming.dev
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      1 day ago

      I think it’s a conspiracy theory. The vast majority of people use manual brushes. Of those who use electric ones, a majority use dumb ones. Of those who use smart ones, some people don’t use the app. Or don’t bother opening the app every time they brush. Those who register probably don’t provide insurance info. The data they collect is basically useless for individual cases, and definitely useless on a bigger scale.

      My take is that it’s a gimmick to help sell you more expensive brushes when you are browsing and comparing them.

      • StarkZarn@infosec.pub
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        1 day ago

        It’s not about user-led synergy. The personal data market is slurped up by those that already have and are building correlations. Just because a user didn’t report anything to their insurer doesn’t mean an insurer sure as shit isn’t going to want the data if they can link it to the user whatsoever, so long as it will make them more money.

        This is hypothetical, of course, but it’s the way the market of data brokers works.

        • NotSteve_@piefed.ca
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          1 day ago

          Yeah, my understanding is that companies generate this data and just sell it unprocessed to data harvesting companies who link it with other data they’ve been sold. Companies seeking targeted info can then request data with varying levels of depth.

          Like a company may request a list of emails of users who are very good (or bad) about brushing their teeth everyday to target ads at