PSA - Google knows my phone number (and probably know yours as well)
TLDR: If you log into any Google service, but don't want Google to know
your phone number, you're so out of luck.
I recently logged into my Google account and was presented with a web
page showing my mobile phone number. I was being asked if I wanted to
enable login verification using that number. The problem is, I don't
ever remember giving Google my phone number. Initially I was puzzled and
shocked: did I voluntarily give Google my phone number? I doubt it,
given my general mistrust of Google. Then I got angry. How was it
possible for Google get my phone number?
Turns out, there's a clause in Google's so-called "privacy" policy which
boasts about the right to collect user information, without explicit
consent. See:
<https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/#infocollect>
Specifically, under "Device information":
"We collect device-specific information (such as your hardware model,
operating system version, unique device identifiers, and mobile network
information including phone number). Google may associate your device
identifiers or phone number with your Google Account."
So, if you use a mobile phone to log into any Google service (including
YouTube), Google has the ability to get your phone number and other
identifying data from the mobile network. Maybe I should also thank
Telstra for this breach of privacy? Then Google obviously did link this
data with my Google Account, again without my permission.
Google makes its money from advertising, so its goals are aligned more
closely with the advertising industry than with the users of its
services. Free comes at a price. One of the reasons I've never
considered using an Android phone is specifically to limit my exposure
to the advertising industry. Here's a very recent article which confirms
my concerns about Google, Android and advertisers:
"Georgia Tech Discovers How Mobile Ads Leak Personal Data"
<http://www.news.gatech.edu/2016/02/22/georgia-tech-discovers-how-mobile-ads-leak-personal-data>
"The personal information of millions of smartphone users is at risk due
to in-app advertising that can leak potentially sensitive user
information between ad networks and mobile app developers, according to
a new study by the School of Computer Science at the Georgia Institute
of Technology."
That's Android, but, given Google's vast reach, even using an iPhone
cannot stop it from gathering private data from users. My trust in
Google has reached a new all-time low.
