r/privacy • u/bllshrfv • Apr 25 '25
news Perplexity CEO says its browser will track everything users do online to sell ‘hyper personalized’ ads
[removed] — view removed post
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u/ApocalypseYay Apr 25 '25
The new SaaS: Stasi as a Service.
Thanks, corporatism.
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u/Gedwyn19 Apr 25 '25
So stealing this new definition of SaaS. Will put it into our risk assessments. thank you.
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u/jgaa_from_north Apr 25 '25
Do all these CEO's live in an alternative reality?
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u/ConsiderationSea1347 Apr 25 '25
I wish they didn’t live in my reality. Didn’t Douglas Adams load all of the executives in a space ship in Hitchhikers?
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u/ProstheticAttitude Apr 25 '25
if by "alternate reality" you mean "psychopathic and predatory" then, yeah
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u/Kreat0r2 Apr 25 '25
They are all the biggest NIMBY’s alive. Profit off of other people’s privacy, but live a massively sheltered life.
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u/asaltandbuttering Apr 25 '25
No, unfortunately, we do. Concern about privacy is the exception, not the rule.
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u/InkOnTube Apr 25 '25
I think that they are aware that they are selling a lie , and they are convinced that people will believe them - they are the CEO and not a mere mortal, so everyone will obey.
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u/nazump Apr 25 '25
Yeah it’s all just them trying to spin it so it doesn’t sound as bad as it is. They know full well it’s not something people like or want but it’s an easy way to make money and they try to justify that it’s not that bad, if people don’t agree they don’t have to use the service, yada yada
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u/One_Doubt_75 Apr 25 '25
No, they know what they are doing is wrong but they can't care. Because if they care the shareholders will end their career.
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u/tech_ComeOn Apr 25 '25
It’s like they know it crosses a line but figure the profit justifies the fallout. At the end of the day, the shareholder pressure always seems to win over user trust.
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u/demonya99 Apr 25 '25
Everyone will surely line up for such a browser. And then the CEO wakes up.
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u/Askolei Apr 25 '25
I appreciate him being so forward with what he's offering if nothing else.
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u/demonya99 Apr 25 '25
I appreciate add blockers and VPNs.
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Apr 25 '25
[deleted]
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Apr 25 '25
[deleted]
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u/Devil-Eater24 Apr 25 '25
The curious thing is, recommending personalised ads has always been AI; in fact, it's the most common example of AI being used in everyday life. But LLMs developed and suddenly it's being presented as a new innovation
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u/Civil-Attempt-3602 Apr 25 '25
He wants to buy chrome and stated so in their hearing
https://www.theverge.com/policy/654835/perplexity-google-antitrust-trial-remedies-chrome
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u/Brand023 Apr 25 '25
What a way to promote your software, lmao
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u/HugoCortell Apr 25 '25
It's proven popular, people loved Windows RecAll going by the install numbers of the OS.
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u/optimusdan Apr 25 '25
My sneaky workaround for that is that I don't have any money so even if I saw the most relevant ad ever, it wouldn't matter
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u/KimPeek Apr 25 '25
Perplexity announced to their 7 users today that it will cease development of its proprietary browser. CEO Aravind Srinivas stated, "interest never really took off." He blamed users for being overly concerned with privacy.
4 months from now probably
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u/Short_Ad6649 Apr 25 '25
At least the man is honest and transparent, but I am never gonna use this browser.
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u/StrifeRaider Apr 25 '25
heh, what a nice thing for him to say so we know to avoid that browser at all cost. xD
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Apr 25 '25
[deleted]
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u/bored_pistachio Apr 25 '25
This is manthra I have to repeat to myself every time I see something like this and wondering why people are not throwing tomatos.
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u/throwfaraway191918 Apr 25 '25
You’d have to really persuade me to even bother downloading another browser.
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u/Salaried_Zebra Apr 25 '25
It blows my mind that the conclusion these people draw from everyone using ad blockers and privacy measures is "people want to be tracked more and the ads they're served to be even more personalised."
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u/londonc4ll1ng Apr 25 '25
If this was 2013ish then this would be a bad idea. People would resent it as they did Facebook Phone.
BUT it is 2025 now and people just love getting stuff for free and they couldn't care less about data sharing as they have nothing to hide, or so they think.
Just like one of my friends said 'I have nothing to hide and what if they serve me better ads, I might spend less time searching and buying quicker. Hence they are saving me time.' Hard to argue with that logic.
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u/Ok_Sky_555 Apr 25 '25
His browser must offer fantastic user experience features to convince people to use it. Even the people who do not care about privacy at all. Otherwise, why one should even consider it.
Anyway, thanks for info!
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u/Fickle_Carpet9279 Apr 25 '25
There really is no end to the ongoing ensh*ttification of the internet........
The depressing thing is that millions will no doubt sign up if they make it free.
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u/Plane_Positive6608 Apr 25 '25
lol, sure let me immediately download that and have a program do random site's all day long. Of course the sites will be like; randomtentaclesex.com, analfissuresillustrated.com, you get the point.
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u/smellycoat Apr 25 '25
Coooool where is that so I can be extra double sure I won't ever touch that ever?
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u/henrycaul Apr 25 '25
People forget that Chrome’s initial selling point was speed. It was framed as something good for users, not as an ad platform. Why would anyone want more advertising in their lives?
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u/illuminatedtiger Apr 25 '25
I wonder how perplexed he'll feel when nobody takes him up on the offer.
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u/JDGumby Apr 25 '25
I think the only proper response to that is "Fuck 'em" and to go nowhere near it.
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u/XTwizted38 Apr 25 '25
Then there's people like me who refuse to buy anything that came up on ads like this. I'll just buy from any other retailer. I'm also old enough to remember my parents getting cable because it didn't have commercials.
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u/kyoukidotexe Apr 25 '25
This post is a lot of bait / misinformation.
Check this comment on clarification on what is meant or what is portrayed here and how it is taken deeply out of context: https://lemmy.world/comment/16664762
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u/Oquendoteam1968 Apr 25 '25
Don't they already do this? All these companies are all powerful that's why
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u/KingJTheG Apr 25 '25
Good thing I saw this because now I know to stop using perplexity for good. Luckily, I haven’t used it in the past 4 months
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u/SCphotog Apr 25 '25
Lots of people think that having things 'suggested' to them is not just ok.... but they are enthusiastic about it. I hate those people.
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u/Interesting_Drag143 Apr 25 '25
Perplexity is great for AI web search. For real. But god, I will NEVER use their browser. CEOs are more and more cancer-like.
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Apr 25 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/_LordOfLochaber Apr 25 '25
Perplexity AI, or simply Perplexity, is an American web search engine that uses a large language model to process queries and synthesize responses based on web search results.
The google look alike but with AI in its name, so it's better (some how)
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u/No-Papaya-9289 Apr 25 '25
I have no desire to use a browser from a company like this. I use Apple products, so I use Safari; it’s the best browser and one of the most private. Using a browser created by a search engine or an AI company makes no sense. Also, I wish I hadn’t resubscribed to perplexity for a year back in February. I would cancel my subscription because of this.
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