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- cross-posted to:
- [email protected]
California lawmakers want to ban companies from using data about consumers’ devices like battery life, model and geolocation to set fluctuating prices. Proponents say such “surveillance pricing” is discriminatory.
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Surveillance pricing. This is a good example to show the nothing-to-hide-nothing-to-fear crowd.
What the actual fuck.
Yup, and all they had to do was automate millions of A B tests to figure out it’s effective. They can tweak and tune based on all sorts of data points.
Literally no good reason for apps to have this information.
In a well regulated economy where abuse potential is lower, there are lots of good reasons.
If I’m developing a ride share app, battery level would be handy for a few reasons off the top of my head:
- Reduce rendering quality, animations, map clarity, go to dark mode…etc to reduce battery usage (ie. Automatic Low power mode).
- Google maps does this when your device is overheating btw
- Increase priority levels for users who are at risk of running out their phones before their estimated arrival time
- Notify users that they may not have enough battery life, and advise them to switch their device to low power mode
- Prioritize blacking out the screen when sensors indicate the phone is facing down or is in a pocket.
Another one for you: pair them with a driver who has charging cables
- Reduce rendering quality, animations, map clarity, go to dark mode…etc to reduce battery usage (ie. Automatic Low power mode).
Wait, what? Are they using your device’s battery percentage to judge how desperate you are for a ride RIGHT NOW? Like, upcharge you if your phone is going to die?
