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Google is so sneaky. This prompt inside Gmail gives you three options. The two most visible options (number 1 is 'Try it now' and number 2 is 'Continue') basically mean 'Enable Gemini AI to write emails.' The third option cancels it which is hidden well. Google, you could do better than this. This is a perfect example of a dark pattern. For those who want AI to write basic emails can enable it but there is not need to do this kind of "shady" stuff.

#ai #privacy

This images is about Gmail. Google is so sneaky. This prompt inside Gmail gives you three options. The two most visible options (number 1 is 'Try it now' and number 2 is 'Continue') basically mean 'Enable Gemini AI to write emails.' The third option cancels it which is hidden well. Google, you could do better than this. This is a perfect example of a dark pattern. For those who want AI to write basic emails can enable it but there is not need to do this kind of "shady" stuff.
#privacy #AI

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in reply to nixCraft 🐧

nixCraft 🐧
mastodon - Link to source
nixCraft 🐧
• •
This is what I call technical debt (not the exact situation but you get the gist of it) from using Gmail everywhere for personal use and projects. Now Google Drive and Gmail are part of my workflow because everyone else I interact with is also hooked into Google ecosystem because of Android phone or tablets, from governments to private citizens/bizness. It is really hard to get rid of them. But, I'm going to do it slowly. I don't want this kind of sneaky biz. The trustworthiness is long gone.
in reply to nixCraft 🐧

Will Duckworth
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Will Duckworth
• •
I agree and I think there is momentum starting for others to do similar
in reply to nixCraft 🐧

Sensitivityi
mastodon - Link to source
Sensitivityi
• •
I’m in the same boat. Trying to slowly unplug from all things google
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nixCraft 🐧
mastodon - Link to source
nixCraft 🐧
• •

@ip6li It is not that simple. please read mastodon.social/@nixCraft/1143… It is going to take much longer than just delete it.

nixCraft 🐧

2025-04-16 09:39:38

mastodon - Link to source

This is what I call technical debt (not the exact situation but you get the gist of it) from using Gmail everywhere for personal use and projects. Now Google Drive and Gmail are part of my workflow because everyone else I interact with is also hooked into Google ecosystem because of Android phone or tablets, from governments to private citizens/bizness. It is really hard to get rid of them. But, I'm going to do it slowly. I don't want this kind of sneaky biz. The trustworthiness is long gone.

in reply to nixCraft 🐧

Rahul
mastodon - Link to source
Rahul
• •
the easiest short term solution is to use @thunderbird and not use web interface. I haven't logged in to my Gmail web for more than 6 months.
@Thunderbird: Free Your Inbox
in reply to nixCraft 🐧

Jonly
mastodon - Link to source
Jonly
• •
oh yeah ms does that aswell last time i notice in the ms store when you want to download something they put the login prompt but you can close it without issues.
Maybe they changed that.
Or dell has some additional data collection in the oobe but you dont have to check the box to continue
in reply to nixCraft 🐧

Klaus Frank
mastodon - Link to source
Klaus Frank
• •

Ehm, there is a need to do this. And that need is inflating your numbers so you're able to tell your shareholders that your users like Gemini AI.

Now they're able to claim everyone that hit either "Continue" or "Try it now" as an active user of Gemini AI...

in reply to nixCraft 🐧

gi124
mastodon - Link to source
gi124
• •
disabling Google Assistant on my phone was also a similar experience
in reply to nixCraft 🐧

JWcph, Radicalized By Decency
mastodon - Link to source
JWcph, Radicalized By Decency
• •

Glad I've long since gotten used to looking for that little X; sometimes even hitting Escape doesn't do it...

- and also that I'm effectively off Google (still have a Gmail but it's dormant, until I'm sure I've replaced all the Google logins, at which point it can f*ck off and die).

in reply to nixCraft 🐧

Brandon Mitchell
mastodon - Link to source
Brandon Mitchell
• •
I've seen debate that "continue" could mean "continue without enabling". Regardless, this is a dark pattern, since the "try it now" is where you would typically have the "no" option.
in reply to nixCraft 🐧

Mac
mastodon - Link to source
Mac
• •
Are you sure that number 2 is meant as 'Enable Gemini AI to write emails.'? To me it looks more like a normal next button with the intention to skip the topic. But nevertheless, the user design is really bad.
in reply to nixCraft 🐧

cybervegan
mastodon - Link to source
cybervegan
• •
This is one of the reasons I am #degoogling ... Just mopping up the stragglers now on email. Need to look into how to degoogle my phone now, though planning to install lineage os on it without Google apps should probably do it.
#degoogling
in reply to nixCraft 🐧

Christopher Masto
mastodon - Link to source
Christopher Masto
• •
Artificially juicing engagement numbers is so ingrained in Google company culture, not doing it would be like not breathing. It’s drilled into everyone to demonstrate β€œimpact” or else. I remember the first time an executive used the phrase β€œdefault opt-in” unironically, it blew up the internal memes. Now it’s just business as usual.
in reply to nixCraft 🐧

DΕΊwiedziu
mastodon - Link to source
DΕΊwiedziu
• •

Are you sure that option 3 turns off the AI?

Not trying to be facetious (well, maaaaaybe a little), yet do we trust Google to treat β€œno” as a β€œno”, having a rapist mentality about our data?

in reply to nixCraft 🐧

Angela Scholder
mastodon - Link to source
Angela Scholder
• •
Well, Google's current motto not for nothing is "Do Be Evil"....... Yes, they dropped the "n't" years ago...
in reply to nixCraft 🐧

JavAlps
mastodon - Link to source
JavAlps
• •
And the best part is #google doesn't even let you create accounts without a #gmail address.
#Google #gmail
in reply to nixCraft 🐧

Scaea - Social
mastodon - Link to source
Scaea - Social
• •
🀒 #NoAi #DeGoogle
I'm happier at Proton, at the moment. But AI is a malignant and metastatic cancer.
#degoogle #noAI
in reply to nixCraft 🐧

Curioso πŸ‰ πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦ (jgg)
qoto - Link to source
Curioso πŸ‰ πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦ (jgg)
• •

A month ago, Gmail offered Gemini to me on my corporate account. I decided to try it. It was total garbage. I decided to disable it. Didn't found the option. A search explained why: there is no way to disable it once it has been enabled.

Gemini is the new Google+.

in reply to nixCraft 🐧

Ham Ninja (Chris Claborne)
mastodon - Link to source
Ham Ninja (Chris Claborne)
• •
maybe this is one of the advantages of having a Google business account. That feature is NOT turned on for my business / domain. By the way, it is a business of two accounts.
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