Ask HN: Why is Google Tasks wanting access to scan my local network?

36 points by kwdc 5y ago ↗ HN

Thanks to Apple's recent changes, I get to see some curious App behaviors as a popup rather via a some router trip wire log.

Why exactly are Google Tasks, Email and several others wanting to scan my network for devices? What's the "official" benefit of this? Is my email program wanting a deep relationship with my coffee maker?

8 comments

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alexjplant 5y ago ↗

Doesn't Google collect SSID, MAC, and WAN IP data so that they can correlate it with location to improve non-GPS location services? I wouldn't be surprised if some boilerplate library they're using wants this access and they haven't bothered to disable it.

ffpip 5y ago ↗

It is probably a common SDK, or they just thought 'Why not?" and started collecting it.

Some potential reasons for apps asking the permission - https://www.howtogeek.com/692528/why-iphone-apps-ask-for-dev...

netsharc 5y ago ↗

I wonder if there's that kind of profiling; probe MAC addresses and associate them with customer spending power.

E.g. I have Philips Hue lights, the bridge's MAC clearly identifies it to be from Philips Lighting: https://maclookup.app/search/result?mac=00:17:88

jqpabc123 5y ago ↗

Google = Privacy invasion

No surprise, just more of what they always do --- mind your business.

Posted using a de-Googled Moto G4 Play running e/OS.

BoorishBears 5y ago ↗

Cast.

kazinator 5y ago ↗

Integration with Google Home?

kwdc 5y ago ↗

Maybe. I don't have any such device or the app.

yftsui 5y ago ↗

Scanning if you have smart home devices and what the types they are. The Google Home mini does the same and even try to connect to the smart switches. Google ensures you cannot connect Google Home to a Guest Wi-Fi (where it cannot see other devices on the home network), the app won’t even allow you to finish setup.