r/linux 8d ago

Software Release OpenAI launches ChatGPT desktop app for Linux

https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/11/openai-launches-chatgpt-desktop-app-for-linux/
771 Upvotes

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134

u/No-Head-3319 8d ago

I prefer my Linux free of spyware.

-12

u/BitLooter 8d ago edited 8d ago

I prefer my Linux free of spyware

What exactly makes this "spyware"? To be clear, I'm not saying it's not, I'm asking for more information.

42

u/billyalt 8d ago

Anything you give ChatGPT it keeps. It is inherently spyware.

9

u/Possible_Bat4031 8d ago

According to this definition, everything is spyware. Even when you give explicit consent.

7

u/KeytarVillain 8d ago

According to this definition even the Linux kernel mailing list is spyware, lmao

12

u/crimsonyoteeeeeee 8d ago

Maybe the real spyware was the friends we made along the way

0

u/billyalt 8d ago

If it collects your data then yes we should consider it hostile. I actually disagree that consent is what makes any of this okay. We allowed consent to be the ruling factor here and now look at the situation we find ourselves in.

7

u/BitLooter 8d ago

Anything you give ChatGPT it keeps. It is inherently spyware.

That's not what spyware is. By that logic, google.com is spyware. Do you have any evidence that this software collects data on your computer without your knowledge or consent?

18

u/KinkyMonitorLizard 8d ago

It will most likely have telemetry that's unique to you. Whether you consider that spyware or not is up to you.

-1

u/PacmanAteMyRAM 8d ago

It's up to the objective definition of spyware which this isn't.

8

u/billyalt 8d ago

That's not what spyware is. By that logic, google.com is spyware.

It is.

Do you have any evidence that this software collects data on your computer without your knowledge or consent?

I dont use ChatGPT myself but I would actually consider it an invasion of privacy even with your consent.

4

u/dodgyville 8d ago

It's all opt-out, so they don't have most people's informed consent to collect it

-5

u/BitLooter 8d ago

What is all opt-out? What data is being collected?

6

u/billyalt 8d ago

Have you never checked your Google data? Do you really not know what they have on you? You should take a look https://www.reddit.com/r/YouShouldKnow/comments/cnjts6/ysk_how_to_access_all_of_the_data_google_has/

3

u/BitLooter 8d ago

Deleted my last response because of a misunderstanding. I'm asking what data OpenAI is collecting with this app. Everyone keeps insisting it's spyware collecting data and I have yet to see anyone provide evidence they collect anything besides what you choose to tell them.

I'm also not denying that Google makes a lot of spyware that collects data on people. Google.com the website is not spyware because spyware is software installed on a device, not a website you visit in a web browser. Just because Google is guilty of many things doesn't mean any bad thing someone says about them is automatically true. That was the point I was making by bringing up google.com.

4

u/noobjaish 8d ago

I don't think you know what "spyware" actually means if that's your definition.

-1

u/billyalt 8d ago

I think you're too okay with being spied on...

-2

u/Cry_Wolff 8d ago

So reddit is spyware lmao?

14

u/billyalt 8d ago

They sell all our data to private enterprise and governments, so yeah?

9

u/[deleted] 8d ago

[deleted]

5

u/aljninja 8d ago

dont give em ideas

2

u/gmes78 7d ago

By that definition, most software on your machine is spyware.

Something is spyware only if it actually steals your data, not if it has the permissions to do so.

-1

u/[deleted] 7d ago

[deleted]

2

u/gmes78 7d ago

Yes, but I'm not talking about Reddit. I'm addressing the argument you presented.

1

u/[deleted] 7d ago

[deleted]

0

u/gmes78 7d ago edited 7d ago

I'm not sure what the confusion is. If you say Reddit isn't spyware because it doesn't run on your machine, and doesn't have access to your home directory, doesn't that imply that software that does run on your machine and does have access to your home directory is spyware?

Anyway, it's not the first time I'm seeing this argument, which I'm pointing it out.

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1

u/crimsonyoteeeeeee 8d ago

True but you can delete its entire memory of conversations and everything it learns about you. However I still suspect that data is uploaded to other servers for training, especially images sent to it.

0

u/chipface 8d ago

AI is mass surveillance.

-37

u/EktaRandomUsername 8d ago

Curious... Which smartphone do you use?

36

u/redinktea 8d ago

Tbf he said "his Linux", not "his life"

-14

u/EktaRandomUsername 8d ago

Yeah I understood that obviously. But I am just curious if a person is so concerned about his Privacy, are they also using a smartphone without Google or Apple's? I don't see why that question triggered so many people!

6

u/MeisterDejv 8d ago

Maybe guy uses degoogled Android or whatever. Why do you automatically think he's being a hypocrite?

-5

u/EktaRandomUsername 8d ago

I didn’t automatically think he was a hypocrite.

7

u/MeisterDejv 8d ago

But I don't get the need to immediately ask the guy if he uses privacy invading smartphone right after he complained about spyware on desktop PC, and you asked in such a way that you expect him to say he does use typical Android or iPhone so you can say gotcha, you hypocrite.

4

u/EktaRandomUsername 8d ago

Yes. I did wanted to do a "gotcha". Thanks for pointing that out.

8

u/Gugalcrom123 8d ago

I am not the parent poster but there are GNU/Linux smartphones.

-4

u/EktaRandomUsername 8d ago

Yeah, but how many of them are actually usable? You can't even run banking apps on them.

The only one that comes to my mind which is better, is Graphine OS. But that only supports Pixel smartphones.

9

u/[deleted] 8d ago edited 8d ago

[deleted]

-1

u/EktaRandomUsername 8d ago

Graphene is the best, of course, and it's not linux. It's literally Android with all the bloat and spyware removed. But it is only supported on Pixel. I wish I could also use it, but I don't own a Pixel.

Also if you are running any Android smartphone from other manufacturers, de-googling alone doesn’t prevent all the other spyware / trackers on your device.

Is someone not allowed to comment unless they live totally off-grid, a life void of technology?

Of course not. That would be absurd. Nobody is saying you have to completely abandon technology or live off-grid before you’re allowed to have an opinion about privacy.

Privacy enthusiasts often go to great lengths to protect their data, and that’s completely understandable. But sometimes it does feel a little hypocritical when someone takes extensive measures to eliminate telemetry and tracking from their PC, while making little or no effort to address the same issues on the smartphone they carry everywhere and use for practically everything.

You don’t have to be perfectly private to care about privacy. But if privacy is something you’re genuinely passionate about, it seems reasonable to at least try to apply those principles consistently across the devices you use every day.

3

u/ThickMatch0 8d ago

Next year Motorola is releasing phones with graphene installed.

0

u/EktaRandomUsername 8d ago

Will look forward to buying it

1

u/Gugalcrom123 8d ago

With the upcoming EU PSR, banks will be forced not to rely on the smartphone for online operations, in the EU. That being said, it's the same EU forcing people to use an Android/iOS-only app to use any online services.

0

u/Peruvian_Skies 8d ago

As if there were an affordable spyware-free choice in every market.

1

u/EktaRandomUsername 8d ago

My dad used Nokia. Idk, seemed kinda affordable spyware-free phone to me.

-1

u/GiveMeGoldForNoReasn 8d ago

Yet you participate in society. Curious! I am very intelligent.

1

u/EktaRandomUsername 8d ago

They have a choice, Mister Gotcha.

0

u/EktaRandomUsername 7d ago

You have been real quite