This is CRUCIAL!

Seasons of Jason

This is CRUCIAL! Telemetry is not a 4-letter word.
When used ethically and responsibly, telemetry helps developers build better apps and better operating systems.

When you disable telemetry in something like Thunderbird or your favorite Linux distro, you're actively preventing the developers from designing a better product FOR YOU.

They want to make data-driven decisions, not decisions based on gut instinct or conjecture.

https://floss.social/@sri/113663990291533712

Jenny753

@killyourfm After seeing how telemetry has been used unethically and irresponsibly in the past, how do developers & publishers demonstrate that they're "one of the good ones"?

Campbell Jones :budgie:

@killyourfm Sure, but how do we know if telemetry is being used ethically or responsibly? Given just how much of our data is collected and sold to anyone who asks, and given just how many of the tools we use on a daily basis turn on telemetry without even asking, is the better choice to trust everyone or trust no one?

Seasons of Jason

@jenny753 Great question. Valid question. I don't know if I have a perfect answer, but my suggestion is education.

Using @thunderbird as an example again, the team there could write a series of blog posts or produce videos explaining what telemetry is in simple terms, what's turned on by default, and explicitly call out WHAT that telemetry does, what data is collected, and especially how it helps them make decisions and develop better features.

Seasons of Jason

@serebit Yea, I get it. If I was pressed for an answer right now, I'd probably say the better choice is to trust no one! There's a monumental amount of education that needs to happen on this front, and it will take repetition, transparency, and very effective marketing to drive the right message home.

Paul

@killyourfm Turning on telemetry is possibly the easiest, most straightforward, way to help an open source project.

Seasons of Jason

@plwt Well said!