1. RyanGermann's Avatar
    General statement: EVERYONE wants security, FEW want "privacy".

    by "few want privacy", I mean that most users don't know the depth and breadth of information that is mined from their device and sent to various agents, like Google or Apple, tracker software vendors, app developers, website owners, etc. And when they find out that "things are being sent to servers" they don't care, because they don't understand what kind of insights can be gleaned about an individual via analytics, and even then, they go "I'm just a schlub from {wherever}, so what do I care what they know about me?"

    The kind of privacy you get from security is not the same as "privacy". No one wants their devices hacked and to have malicious agents accessing their "private" data, whether or not it's information that could be used to perpetrate identity theft.

    We all insist on SECURITY. It's why we have firewalls on our home routers and lock our front door.

    A closed UNLOCKED door is usually enough for privacy, at work or at home, but it's nothing about security.

    Is BlackBerry missing the boat here not making the distinction clear? Not stressing how their SECURITY is second-to-none, and with their Android initiative, they have given Android fans a device that has enhanced privacy?

    I believe these distinctions are not clear in the minds of customers, either consumer or enterprise.

    Consumers who choose Android have to KNOW they're bartering privacy for functionality, even if they wouldn't dream of giving up their SECURITY. That is to say, they may not be aware how MUCH privacy they're giving up for the services they receive, nor how the aggregated data could be analyzed to identify things about them (like "this morning you went to Starbucks and bought a coffee and muffin, and then you stopped off at the dry cleaners and got to work at 9:20 (you were late tisk tisk!)").

    I am asking this question because in the past I've been known to overthink things that are just "well, of course!" to everyone else, but I can't shake the feeling that the message around BB's adoption of Android isn't clear enough, because they're not defining security vs. privacy and what that means to a smartphone user... they're not making it clear that the kinds of privacy sacrifices one must accept on "non-BlackBerry Android" have a bad side to them, and BlackBerry is lessening their exposure. Yes, a little fear-mongering but that's the whole point of any "security" or "privacy" message, and BlackBerry is soft-pedaling it, assuming that the audience just "wants privacy" or whatever without defining it.

    Call it "manufactured demand" if you want to, and there's a fine line between "marketing" and "FUD" here that needs to be walked, but so far, "Privacy gives you privilege" is just worse than FUD, it's crud. They need to get this message sorted out, to make "Android powered by BlackBerry" something that people want moreso than just "Android, skinned by Samsung".

    Side note: One other way that BlackBerry could better surface the "privacy" aspects of Android by BlackBerry: an OS level daemon / service that examines any "password" fields and warns the user of the weakness of the password. Some websites of course show a password strength indicator when you create a password, but BlackBerry could go one better by actually warning users that the password they just submitted is weak and should be changed if they want "security" and "privacy", because the weakest link is usually the human being, not the technology (the Apple iCloud 'hack' was mostly attributed to weak passwords, not to any technical failure of Apple... unless you consider "allowing weak passwords" a technical failure, which is debatable). Most users don't really get that they really REALLY need to use hardened passwords and not just put their device down without the screen locking. A "security and privacy audit" of the device would also be important, because if you don't have a lock screen password then why worry about Google Inc. knowing you were 20 minutes late for work?
    Last edited by RyanGermann; 10-15-15 at 10:45 AM.
    10-15-15 10:34 AM
  2. jsmith00075's Avatar
    Still though, you can't have neither Privacy or Security on a droid phone.
    10-15-15 10:58 AM
  3. Old_Mil's Avatar
    Still though, you can't have neither Privacy or Security on a droid phone.
    This is the sad truth and why the few droid apps I have to have are quarantined on a separate android tablet far away from any personal communication or Web browsing I do with my phone or laptop.
    10-16-15 03:21 AM
  4. osallent's Avatar
    I think some of you have been taking the Apple propaganda a little too seriously. If you don't think Apple mines your information for advertising purposes, read their terms of service. They love to put Android down for it while pretending they are not doing it too.

    Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
    10-16-15 10:28 PM
  5. early2bed's Avatar
    I'll bet that security and privacy are overrated. Half of all smartphone users don't even bother to lock their phone so how security-minded could they be? A lot of people put everything they can about themselves on Facebook including their relationship status. This is a business-school case study in a technology looking for an application. Is there any evidence that a significant part of the smartphone market is concerned with privacy enough to give up functionality? What good are default privacy settings when the user wants to tell Google Now what their schedule is and tell Uber where they are and where they go on a regular basis.
    10-17-15 12:45 AM
  6. Tre Lawrence's Avatar
    I'll bet that security and privacy are overrated. Half of all smartphone users don't even bother to lock their phone so how security-minded could they be? A lot of people put everything they can about themselves on Facebook including their relationship status. This is a business-school case study in a technology looking for an application. Is there any evidence that a significant part of the smartphone market is concerned with privacy enough to give up functionality? What good are default privacy settings when the user wants to tell Google Now what their schedule is and tell Uber where they are and where they go on a regular basis.
    I mostly agree.

    In some ways, I think the mobile security angle is overdone. I don't believe the greatest threat to one's security (or privacy, for that matter), is via one's smartphone.

    Personal data is big business, and everybody is looking to get a piece of the pie.

    Mobile privacy is indeed somewhat of a myth in an age were one can glean user-generated info from a Facebook page. BlackBerry has found it's hard to sell, too.
    10-17-15 12:54 AM
  7. skibnik's Avatar
    It all comes down to who do you trust more with your privacy and device security? In this regard I believe Blackberry has an opportunity and the reputation to fill this need now that they are going cross platform. However if the general population truly took their privacy seriously they wouldn't be taking naked selfies of themselves and saving them to the cloud. lol
    10-17-15 09:48 AM
  8. Tien-Lin Chang's Avatar
    Just wondering...

    If Blackberry truly keep your privacy and device security, wouldn't it make Blackberry device the standard equipment of terrorists? Then how come we never see some CIA/FBI party in Blackberry HQ or US goverment threaten Blackberry to give some info out?
    10-20-15 12:52 AM
  9. skibnik's Avatar
    Just wondering...

    If Blackberry truly keep your privacy and device security, wouldn't it make Blackberry device the standard equipment of terrorists? Then how come we never see some CIA/FBI party in Blackberry HQ or US goverment threaten Blackberry to give some info out?
    For true air tight security you need to run BlackBerry devices on BES using a corperate server otherwise they are no more secure than Apple or Android devices. If a company is under investigation the government will get a court order to access that companies servers as Blackberry does not have access to them. As for the general public it has been proven through Snowden and wiki leaks that the NSA already can collect and access all communications transmissions from all devices regardless if they are BlackBerry, Apple, or Android.

    Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
    Tien-Lin Chang likes this.
    10-20-15 01:42 AM
  10. Tien-Lin Chang's Avatar
    For true air tight security you need to run BlackBerry devices on BES using a corperate server otherwise they are no more secure than Apple or Android devices. If a company is under investigation the government will get a court order to access that companies servers as Blackberry does not have access to them. As for the general public it has been proven through Snowden and wiki leaks that the NSA already can collect and access all communications transmissions from all devices regardless if they are BlackBerry, Apple, or Android.

    Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
    So means normal user running even BIS is not much more protected? Even you are under BES protection but if the people you are contacting is under Gmail or something like that then still gonna leak info from there is it?
    10-20-15 01:51 AM
  11. cgk's Avatar
    The bottom line is mobile security provides no expressible competitive advantage - none.

    Someone is going to say "Enterprise!" - ok but having the most secure platform has led BB10 to sell 800,000 units a quarter and falling to enterprise (less when you consider some of that 800,000 will be consumers) - so no real advantage there either.

    This is just another version of the "untapped demand" narrative that seems to arrive with each new Blackberry device since the z10

    Z10 - there is untapped demand for a all-touch device from BBRY fans and security concious general population - there wasn't

    Z30 - The Z10 wasn't big enough, there is untapped demand for an larger all-touch device running BB10 - there wasn't

    Q10 - the Z30 and z10 were mistakes, there is untapped demand for a keyboard based device running bb10 - there wasn't

    Q5 - A cheaper version of the Q10 is sure to sell because of untapped demand - it didn't

    Leap - A cheap touch device will play well in emerging markets because of untapped demand - it didn't

    Passport - There is untapped demand for.. well whatever that was - there wasn't

    Priv - There is untapped demand for a slider... we'll see.
    Last edited by cgk; 10-20-15 at 02:49 AM.
    Tien-Lin Chang likes this.
    10-20-15 02:31 AM
  12. Prem WatsApp's Avatar
    The bottom line is mobile security provides no expressible competitive advantage - none.

    Someone is going to say "Enterprise!" - ok but having the most secure platform has led BB10 to sell 800,000 units a quarter and falling to enterprise (less when you consider some of that 800,000 will be consumers) - so no real advantage there either.

    This is just another version of the "untapped demand" narrative that seems to arrive with each new Blackberry device since the z10

    Z10 - there is untapped demand for a all-touch device from BBRY fans and security concious general population - there wasn't

    Z30 - The Z10 wasn't big enough, there is untapped demand for an larger all-touch device running BB10 - there wasn't

    Q10 - the Z30 and z10 were mistakes, there is untapped demand for a keyboard based device running bb10 - there wasn't

    Q5 - A cheaper version of the Q10 is sure to sell because of untapped demand - it didn't

    Leap - A cheap touch device will play well in emerging markets because of untapped demand - it didn't

    Passport - There is untapped demand for.. well whatever that was - there wasn't

    Priv - There is untapped demand for a slider... we'll see.
    I'm sure there's untapped demand for the latest fancy social app.... that's yet to be made!

    ;-D

    �   Ahoy, Privateers...! :-)   �
    cgk likes this.
    10-22-15 05:07 PM

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