tablets come with spyware / was: [WEB4LIB] Low-Cost Prototype OPAC System

[James Olson]

I'm not so sure what sort of information about individual users a communal
tablet would provide, since all the data would be aggregated as if it came
from one person.  If you were using a tablet this way, you'd want to
restrict it so the users couldn't access things like email or online
shopping in order to protect their privacy...and to keep the tablet focused
on your own reasons for providing it.


On Wed, Dec 19, 2012 at 3:04 AM, Christian Pietsch <
chr.pietsch+web4lib at googlemail.com> wrote:

> Hi Cary,
>
> interesting point! Unfortunately, using an Android or iOS tablet as a
> public
> terminal is probably illegal in many countries, including all EU countries
> --
> for valid reasons. The problem is that Google/Apple as well as many app
> creators collect personal information from users.
>
> In return for getting tablets at a subsidized price (the regular price),
> libraries offering such tablets to their users would automatically hand
> over
> detailed information about their users without their consent. Installing
> spyware-free operating systems and software may be a way out. Firefox OS
> (formerly Boot2Gecko) comes to mind. Are there other alternatives that run
> on
> current tablets?
>
> Don't get me started on e-book readers. Libraries lending them to patrons
> may
> already aid and abet data crime/spying:
>
> http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304870304577490950051438304.html
>
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2012/jul/05/e-reader-spying-big-deal
>
> Cheers,
> Christian
>
>
> On Tue, Dec 18, 2012 at 03:52:34PM -0800, Cary Gordon wrote:
> > That said, I think that taking this approach to building a kiosk,
> > while it might be fun, is not all that efficient. My first choice
> > would be an android tablet. You can buy a name brand 10" android
> > tablet for about $200 and an off-brand for about $150 (thinking
> > WalMart).
> >
> > I can't imagine putting together a package like that using an SBC for
> > that price. Just the monitor would be more than that.
>
>
> --
>   Christian Pietsch <http://purl.org/net/pietsch>
>   LibTec (Library Technology and Knowledge Management),
>   Bielefeld University Library, Bielefeld, Germany
>
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>
> 2012-12-19
>

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2012-12-24
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