Privacy Policy update

soul1 · 2019-01-08T08:12:13.982Z

Hi, I just read through the updated Privacy Policy (Privacy Policy - GL.iNet), and noticed this:

In section 3.1:

b. Personal Information We Collect from Your Interactions with Our Products and Services

Cookies and Tracking Technologies We use automatic data collection tools like cookies, web beacons, google analytics and other tracking technologies in our products to collect data and related information, including IP addresses, device identifiers, advertising identifiers and other information about your device, system and application software and peripherals. We may collect information about your browser and what sites you visit. We might also look at how and how often you use one of our applications and certain features. Third parties may also collect information using cookies. To learn more about our cookie policy, click here.

Does this mean that each device you develop has a unique device identifier and can report to you what sites are visited using that device?

glitch · 2019-01-08T08:46:46.381Z

I said a few years back that the router should never “call home” without the users permission, including updates, pinging Google (arghhh!) etc.

alzhao · 2019-01-09T07:23:01.151Z

The info you mentioned is about cookie and web site usage, not the router.

That is Google analytics. Because we used that we need to put in the privacy policy. We don’t track anything in the router.

soul1 · 2019-01-10T07:34:23.008Z

Nice to hear. Thanks Alzhao!

meetyg · 2019-11-29T13:31:28.844Z

What about this sections in the Privacy Policy:

Product Usage:
We collect information related to the use our products and devices and statistics about the performance of your GL.iNet devices. This information includes Inter GL.iNet speed, storage information, error rates, and other performance information.

??
It seams as if router information is sent/stored.
I am abit confused…

kuhr · 2019-11-29T14:58:18.989Z

Good hint !
One cannot misunderstand these sentences:
The user has become the product !
Privacy goodbye.
GL.iNet has changed for the worse since start of software V3.
An unhappy (ex-)user

Johnex · 2019-11-29T17:46:31.952Z

@kuhr You are free to use the v2.6 firmware. If you don’t have anything to add to the forums, you are free to leave.

@meetyg The privacy policy is talking about things like failed firmware downloads, rate of firmware downloads, if there is any crash on the router. Data IS collected on the router, as with any linux system. The data is however not sent anywhere. You will always see @alzhao and other GL staff on the forums asking kindly for you to send error logs in such a situation. This is not sent automatically.

As it as been covered in other threads, anyone can run wireshark and check what data is sent and received over the course of a week and report their findings. A few users have been trying to spread misinformation without any kind of proof.

alzhao · 2019-11-30T03:14:22.007Z

Router firmware does not change anything.

We will make it more clear for Smartphone app and cloud.

Nothing is collected in firmware and never will.

meetyg · 2019-11-30T16:26:06.930Z

alzhao:

Nothing is collected in firmware and never will.

I’m happy to hear
I am a long fan of GL.INET hardware (have various of your mini routers) , even if a new forum user.

I usually flash the original OpenWrt (from OpenWrt site), just because I like full control and privacy of my router.
I recently purchased some GL-S1300 gateways (got a nice Black Friday discount on Aliexpress).
But I was worried because it seems OpenWrt doesn’t have (full) support for it upstream. That means I would have to use GL.Inet’s QSDK firmware for a while.
Thats why I checked the privacy policy again and was a bit worried.
@alzhao
I think the privacy policy should make your statement clearer. Thanks!

gladly · 2020-02-28T09:36:29.036Z

alzhao:

Nothing is collected in firmware and never will.

The routers and the company seem very good, but this statement should be stated in the Privacy Policy. According to the policy now, GL.iNet can collect anything you want from the devices/routers.

Just like the most trustworthy companies aiming at users who want privacy, you should state explicitly also the things you do not collect from the routers like ip addresses, mac addresses, IMEI number, VPN details, etc, so the users can be clear and confident about your policies.

alzhao · 2020-02-28T09:38:16.610Z

Thanks for your message. Yes you are totally right.

We will update the policy. It is a little bit slow but for sure we will finish in March.

gladly · 2020-02-29T08:28:06.877Z

I am happy that you agree. I hope you will find time soon to do this. I think it is important for users but is also good for the company to attrect even more and better reviews and recommendations.