this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2025
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Privacy

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How much of my digital soul am I giving away by using "The Transit App?" (lemmy.ml)
submitted 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) by HiddenLayer555@lemmy.ml to c/privacy@lemmy.ml
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I currently use "The Transit App" for navigating by transit. How bad is that privacy wise? I know it tracks your location at least while you're in the en route mode because it advertises that as part of its real time tracking system, and I'm torn on whether I'm okay with that given that I directly benefit from the improved real time data whenever someone else taking the same line is end route (you can see transit vehicles being tracked by another user's app session vs data from the transit agency itself). Is there anything more shady going on with that app? Is there any way to tell whether it's recording my motion sensors? Is the generic sounding name intentionally hiding that it's made by the CIA or something?

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[–] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 30 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (3 children)

The transit app does utilize motion sensor data to try to guesstimate your position while you are in subways or other areas with low GPS reception.

Here's the privacy policy: https://transitapp.com/privacy-policy (Aug 14 2025 archive version). They have the who, what, where, when and why and how your data is used all in the policy. It's quite readable, and on 3rd party data sharing, they list out what they collect and which third parties they give it to.

The app is made by a company based in Montréal, Québec, Canada. Personal information data is stored in Canada and the EU, location data not tied to your personal info is collected and stored in the US. The company has at present committed not to sell collected info to databrokers and advertisers, but they do provide it to researchers and transit agencies.

My privacy model is that if I am to consent to my data being collected, I need to receive a tangible benefit that is directly related to the data given. So location advertising to help myself and other people around me know where the bus is is an amazing benefit all around. So I use that feature.

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 9 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

A very uncharacteristically mature take here haha

[–] autonomoususer@lemmy.world -2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Characteristically immature take here. Someday, these lot will stop falling for the same old privacy policy scam.

[–] Tja@programming.dev 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Usually all data collected gives you a tangible benefit: cheaper (or free) services and devices.

[–] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

You are correct and I get that. Where I get frustrated is when companies decide to, after I have agreed to share data for one purpose, but then later that data is sold or used instead for secondary unrelated purposes. The clearer and more upfront a company is with how they treat data, the more I can trust it. Of course because of the history of how many companies about-faced on this, that trust is not permanent.

As an aside, the current funding model for the company behind the app is subscriptions from users, and subsidies from transit agencies and local governments, such as Calgary Transit.

[–] autonomoususer@lemmy.world 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

lmao, privacy policy never works, libre software does.

https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/comment/16219179

[–] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

I am not sure how the Google settlement connects to your claim that privacy policies never work. Google is an ad company, so that is their priority over everything else.

I also said "at present", and included the archive version, as I'm aware that if Transit sells out in one way or another their policy and app can change for the worse. But let's be realistic about what it is right now, this is about the best you can expect from non-libre and closed-source.

[–] autonomoususer@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

A privacy policy never gives us control over an app. This app fails to have a libre software licence now, we do not control it.

When they get our data, nothing will bring that copy back. So, who's waiting?

Let's be realistic. We've lived our whole lives without their filth. We can reject it today.

[–] glitching@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

no idea what that does but OsmAnd has navigation with public transit which works plenty fine for my use cases

[–] Blisterexe@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

atleast where I live transit has all the metro and bus lines, and real-tike tracking of when the next bus/metro is, while osmand just has the metro and like 3 bus lines, so it's kinda useless for transit.

Osmand ia great for biking though.

[–] autonomoususer@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Yes, privacy is multiplayer. When we do nothing to spread these ideas, others won't stop infecting themselves with slop and do nothing to expand any app we all control.

[–] stupid_asshole69@hexbear.net 2 points 2 weeks ago

I don’t know anything about that app aside from what it does, which is what wayze does and wayze was an Israeli spying cutout.

Just use a map and get on a stop or loop ahead of your appointment. I’m finding it hard to imagine a serious use for that app but it’s possible I just don’t understand.

[–] dreaper@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

You want to keep your soul? Then go back to the old way of doing things. Using a paper map that shows all the routes. And to get bus schedule times, I'm sure they have something like Teleride that you can call or text. It's what I do; considering I went back to a flip phone for the sake of my sanity.

[–] HiddenLayer555@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

If I lived in Japan with its perfect transit schedule, maybe. But in Vancouver the transit is so unreliable literally any advance schedule is useless especially if you need to have any type of connection on your route.

[–] dreaper@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 weeks ago

Hmm... I don't have this problem in Calgary.

[–] vatlark@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

It's a great app.

If people know of alternatives I would be interested.

[–] swelter_spark@reddthat.com 2 points 2 weeks ago

Offi and Transportr sound similar, but idk if they show all the lines near OP.

[–] autonomoususer@lemmy.world -2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Which libre software licence text file does it have, none?

So, we don't control it. We can't fork it. How are going to stop it abusing us? We don't.

We know who has the power here. It's not us users.

How many times are we going to get rekt by the same old scam?

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

At least once more until you go and recreate the app in open source.

[–] autonomoususer@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

'Open source' misses the point of libre software.

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Then go spearhead your libre software and we'll use it!

[–] autonomoususer@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Always waiting for replacements helps them keep making new malware. This only ends when we reject them from the start.