Your favorite Linux distribution is spyware (Ubuntu)

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Richard Stallman
Richard Stallman gives a talk on Free Software and Copyright. (credit Victor Powell)

Definitions first:

 Spyware is a type of malware (malicious software) installed on computers that collects information about users without their knowledge. The presence of spyware is typically hidden from the user and can be difficult to detect. Some spyware, such as keyloggers, may be installed by the owner of a shared, corporate, or public computer intentionally in order to monitor users.

Richard Stallman the creator of the GNU Project & Free Software Foundation has said Ubuntu is a “spyware”.

You may be wondering why? Because the operating system (Ubuntu) does what spyware does, it sends data to Canonical when a user searches the desktop.

You may also be wondering how? It was first introduced in Ubuntu 12.10. Due to the Amazon search capabilities that have been integrated into Ubuntu’s Unity desktop environment with the Dash, a file manager that grants quick access to applications, files and folders, and shortcuts on the desktop.

Surveillance Program? Stallman equates the Amazon search integration into the Ubuntu desktop ato Ubuntu having installed surveillance code:

Proprietary software is associated with malicious treatment of the user: surveillance code, digital handcuffs (DRM or Digital Restrictions Management) to restrict users, and back doors that can do nasty things under remote control. Programs that do any of these things are malware and should be treated as such. Widely used examples include Windows, the iThings, and the Amazon “Kindle” product for virtual book burning, which do all three; Macintosh and the Playstation III which impose DRM; most portable phones, which do spying and have back doors; Adobe Flash Player, which does spying and enforces DRM; and plenty of apps for iThings and Android, which are guilty of one or more of these nasty practices.

Stallman explains that when the user searches her their files on the default Ubuntu desktop, the systems sends the search string to Canonical servers. Canonical is the company that develops Ubuntu.

Ubuntu uses the information about searches to show the user ads of stuff on Amazon. Stallman also says that the ads themselves are not the main problem. The core of the problem, according to him is the spying. In its defence Canonical says it doesn’t hand over information to Amazon identifying users being served the ads. However, it is just as bad for Canonical to collect your personal information as it would have been for Amazon to collect it.” Amazon itself commits many wrongs  that Stallman points out.

According to Stallman, the mere fact that Canonical chose to include malicious code in Ubuntu is damaging to the entire free software community, because users have come to expect that community oversight means free software won’t contain malware.

It’s important to note that Ubuntu allows users to switch the surveillance off. Clearly, Canonical wishes that many Ubuntu users will leave this setting in the default state (on) and many may do so (don’t know), because it doesn’t occur to them to try to do anything about it. Thus, the existence of that switch does not make the surveillance feature OK.

Via fsf.org

This post written for Techzim by Pardon Gatsi.  You can follow him on twitter handle @pardonbrainy or on his tech blog, techunzipped.co.zw

13 comments

  1. Norman Nhliziyo

    I use of Ubuntu heavily and whilst I have not been impressed with the general direction that the OS is taking, my perspective on this “spyware” issue is that it is a result of a great product with an outdated business model.

    Canonical’s revenue from Ubuntu, like many other FOSS solutions, is from support services to enterprises. This doesn’t look like its working very well and someone has to foot the bill to keep the ball rolling.

    1. Greg Chiponda

      spot on ” great product with an outdated business model”

    2. Sumpter Carter

      I agree. I also use Ubuntu, not because I’m some Linux “noob” either, but because I like the fact that it saves me time on the initial setup of the OS. I’m not too crazy about the whole Amazon thing, but it’s not enough to stop me from using Ubuntu. I have to wonder though, does this apply to people using non-standard versions of Ubuntu like kubuntu, lubuntu, and xubuntu?

  2. Nerudo

    Why someone uses such bloat is beyond me when Windows everywere are made just to rid such smelly products. sudo apt-curse linux!!!

    1. tinm@n

      Linux, bloated more than WIndows?! Do you know what bloated means?
      lolz!
      Windows invented bloat

  3. tinm@n

    Fork it

  4. KuraiMGT

    There is nothing for my mahala.

    1. L.S.M. Kabweza

      Not under the sun no. 😉
      Linux users, being the super geeks they are, can easily choose not to be “spied on” thought. that’s positive. if they don’t then the assumption is they are ok with it, no?

  5. flack

    Stallman has always been crazy. The Amazon issue has been discussed at length. It strange that Stallman is only picking on it now; when all the focus has shifted from Quantal to Roaring.( Does he live in a cave?)Calling it spying is a going a little over the top; I would use the word “inconvenient.”

  6. Tapiwa ✔

    Ha! serves you right if you use Gnome/Unity. apt-get install kubuntu-desktop. KDE FTMFW

  7. L dandira

    Every OS spies. Ubuntu is better when it comes to spying. Android spies big time.

    1. Mongomery Burns

      Soon we will have a free replacement for Android (free as in Freedom). I think the Replicant project is moving along nicely. Then we won’t have to worry about sypware and malicious companies like Google.

  8. Mongomery Burns

    Use Trisquel GNU/Linux!

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