• Boring@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    110
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    I created an account while in the store with an email of fuckyou@thisisstupid.com and a basic password and surprisingly didn’t have to verify the email. Then turned on a VPN to my house.

    I plan on just creating a new account every time I go in just to fill up their database with nonsense.

      • ddh@lemmy.sdf.org
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        11
        ·
        1 year ago

        This makes me feel a lot better about ChatGPT garbage corrupting Google search results.

      • Altecheon@ttrpg.network
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        Fun fact: Android developer options has a Disabled Persistent Mac address randomization toggle. Or at least Pixel phones do

    • geekworking@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      18
      arrow-down
      3
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      You do realize that they are actually tracking the device itself by the hardware MAC address and other device fingerprints.

      The email is just a bonus to let them legally spam you. Anti-spam laws have an exemption. If there’s a prior business relationship like shopping in their stores, they can put you on their spam list unless you opt out.

      Bogus email only helps for spam but doesn’t do anything about tracking.

      EDIT: For Android when there’s a Captive Portal like the screen shot. devices will use Persistent randomization which while not the hardware MAC will remain the same for the same network where they can track your visits.

      • Dark Arc@social.packetloss.gg
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        32
        arrow-down
        3
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        Pretty much all modern phones randomize the MAC address everytime they connect to a network unless the user explicitly says not to do that.

        • 𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒏@lemmy.one
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          6
          ·
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          randomize the MAC address everytime they connect to a network

          +1, had issues using Android devices for presence detection because of this very useful privacy feature. Even on your home network, the MAC address and device hostname get randomized, unless disabled in the settings

          Edit: typo

        • geekworking@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          5
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          When there’s a Captive Portal like the screenshot, many devices use a random but persistent mac for that network avoid reauthorization after any network drop. This will make your access to the specific network trackable.

          • Boring@lemmy.ml
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            1 year ago

            But can’t you go manually forget the network in your device network options to circumvent this?

            • Molecular0079@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              3
              ·
              1 year ago

              This is actually just part of stock Android. My Pixel 5 has MAC randomization on by default for new Wi-Fi networks.

              • wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                2
                ·
                1 year ago

                It’s per-network, not per-connection. Though that option does exist but is hidden away under developer settings.

                  • wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world
                    link
                    fedilink
                    English
                    arrow-up
                    1
                    ·
                    1 year ago

                    It’s not at the packet level - by default on gOS (and a dev option on stock pixels), every time you connect to a network, even ones you have connected to prior, you get a new random MAC. The standard aosp/pixels do one random but persistent MAC randomization. This only helps marginally from a privacy standpoint. Per-connection makes this data point useless, thereby increasing privacy.

          • Dark Arc@social.packetloss.gg
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            1 year ago

            I’d assume after a certain amount of time or after moving far enough away from the network it “forgets” the last randomized MAC address?

            It doesn’t really make sense to store these things long term.

      • Boring@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        1 year ago

        GrapheneOS let’s me do a per-connection randomized MAC.

        I’m sure they do collect a lot more about my device, but there’s not much I can do about it short of wrapping my phone in tin foil.

        • wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          1 year ago

          Don’t forget to disable wifi and bluetooth before approaching the store, as those give off unique identifiers too.

    • Zastyion345@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      11
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Don’t forget to spoof your MAC address so they cant see who is making the fake accounts ;D