macOS Is Technically Better Than Linux. Here's Why It Doesn't Matter. [YouTux Channel] [22:13]

[–] • 1 pt

(edited )

Wanted to follow up with this just for the sake of information:

`AI: What telemetry does Ubuntu have? Answer: - Ubuntu Report / Ubuntu Insights This is the main Ubuntu Desktop telemetry system. Before Ubuntu 25.10, Ubuntu Desktop used Ubuntu Report. It asked during install whether you wanted to share system data, and Canonical says it collected consent-based, non-personally-identifiable system information. If declined, it only sent an opt-out flag. Reports were stored locally, typically under: ~/.cache/ubuntu-report/ - Starting with Ubuntu 25.10, Canonical began moving to Ubuntu Insights, still opt-in, with local report files and a delay before upload so the user can inspect/revoke consent. Reports are generally stored under: ~/.cache/ubuntu-insights/ - Ubuntu Insights can collect at initial setup and, if opted in, periodically about once per month. Ubuntu 26.04 adds GUI controls under Settings → Privacy & Security → Telemetry. - Typical data class: hardware, install info, desktop/session basics, disk/partition info, release/version data, and some environment-specific fields such as WSL fields. Canonical says it is non-personally-identifiable, but it is still machine/profile telemetry. Commands likely useful on newer Ubuntu: ubuntu-insights collect -df ubuntu-insights consent ubuntu-insights consent -s=false ubuntu-insights consent linux ubuntu_desktop_provision -s=false

Other points of collection: - Ubuntu also has Apport, the crash reporter. This is not the same as general telemetry. It collects crash/debug information when programs crash and can send a bug report if enabled/approved. Crash reports can include sensitive local details depending on what crashed, environment variables, process info, package versions, logs, and stack traces. Apport crash reporting /var/crash/ Common disable: sudo sed -i 's/^{enabled=.*/enabled=0/'} /etc/default/apport sudo systemctl disable --now apport.service

popularity-contest / popcon
Ubuntu Pro / ESM / Livepatch service traffic
Snap Store traffic
Normal APT update traffic Summary: Ubuntu’s telemetry is not Windows-level surveillance, but it is no longer “nothing.” The main desktop telemetry is opt-in, crash reporting is its own risk, Ubuntu Pro is account/subscription-linked if attached, and Snap/APT create regular Canonical/mirror traffic even when you decline telemetry. `

How to turn it off?

`set -euo pipefail

sudo ubuntu-insights consent -s=false 2>/dev/null || true sudo ubuntu-insights consent linux ubuntu_desktop_provision -s=false 2>/dev/null || true ubuntu-report -f send no 2>/dev/null || true

sudo sed -i 's/^{enabled=.*/enabled=0/'} /etc/default/apport 2>/dev/null || true sudo systemctl disable --now apport.service 2>/dev/null || true

sudo apt-get purge -y popularity-contest 2>/dev/null || true

sudo systemctl disable --now ua-timer.timer ua-timer.service 2>/dev/null || true sudo systemctl disable --now ubuntu-advantage.timer ubuntu-advantage.service 2>/dev/null || true sudo systemctl disable --now apt-news.service esm-cache.service 2>/dev/null || true

sudo pro config set apt_news=false 2>/dev/null || true sudo pro config set apt_news_url="" 2>/dev/null || true

sudo chmod -x /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news 2>/dev/null || true sudo chmod -x /etc/update-motd.d/80-livepatch 2>/dev/null || true sudo sed -i 's/^{ENABLED=.*/ENABLED=0/'} /etc/default/motd-news 2>/dev/null || true

sudo snap refresh --hold 2>/dev/null || true

sudo rm -rf \ /home//.cache/ubuntu-report \ /home//.cache/ubuntu-insights \ /root/.cache/ubuntu-report \ /root/.cache/ubuntu-insights `

@AOU why does Less than and Greater than not make it "code" in comments??? Is it nesting?

Wanted to follow up with this just for the sake of information: `AI: What telemetry does Ubuntu have? Answer: - Ubuntu Report / Ubuntu Insights This is the main Ubuntu Desktop telemetry system. Before Ubuntu 25.10, Ubuntu Desktop used Ubuntu Report. It asked during install whether you wanted to share system data, and Canonical says it collected consent-based, non-personally-identifiable system information. If declined, it only sent an opt-out flag. Reports were stored locally, typically under: ~/.cache/ubuntu-report/ - Starting with Ubuntu 25.10, Canonical began moving to Ubuntu Insights, still opt-in, with local report files and a delay before upload so the user can inspect/revoke consent. Reports are generally stored under: ~/.cache/ubuntu-insights/ - Ubuntu Insights can collect at initial setup and, if opted in, periodically about once per month. Ubuntu 26.04 adds GUI controls under Settings → Privacy & Security → Telemetry. - Typical data class: hardware, install info, desktop/session basics, disk/partition info, release/version data, and some environment-specific fields such as WSL fields. Canonical says it is non-personally-identifiable, but it is still machine/profile telemetry. Commands likely useful on newer Ubuntu: ubuntu-insights collect -df ubuntu-insights consent ubuntu-insights consent -s=false ubuntu-insights consent linux ubuntu_desktop_provision -s=false Other points of collection: - Ubuntu also has Apport, the crash reporter. This is not the same as general telemetry. It collects crash/debug information when programs crash and can send a bug report if enabled/approved. Crash reports can include sensitive local details depending on what crashed, environment variables, process info, package versions, logs, and stack traces. Apport crash reporting /var/crash/ Common disable: sudo sed -i 's/^enabled=.*/enabled=0/' /etc/default/apport sudo systemctl disable --now apport.service - popularity-contest / popcon - Ubuntu Pro / ESM / Livepatch service traffic - Snap Store traffic - Normal APT update traffic Summary: Ubuntu’s telemetry is not Windows-level surveillance, but it is no longer “nothing.” The main desktop telemetry is opt-in, crash reporting is its own risk, Ubuntu Pro is account/subscription-linked if attached, and Snap/APT create regular Canonical/mirror traffic even when you decline telemetry. ` How to turn it off? `set -euo pipefail sudo ubuntu-insights consent -s=false 2>/dev/null || true sudo ubuntu-insights consent linux ubuntu_desktop_provision -s=false 2>/dev/null || true ubuntu-report -f send no 2>/dev/null || true sudo sed -i 's/^enabled=.*/enabled=0/' /etc/default/apport 2>/dev/null || true sudo systemctl disable --now apport.service 2>/dev/null || true sudo apt-get purge -y popularity-contest 2>/dev/null || true sudo systemctl disable --now ua-timer.timer ua-timer.service 2>/dev/null || true sudo systemctl disable --now ubuntu-advantage.timer ubuntu-advantage.service 2>/dev/null || true sudo systemctl disable --now apt-news.service esm-cache.service 2>/dev/null || true sudo pro config set apt_news=false 2>/dev/null || true sudo pro config set apt_news_url="" 2>/dev/null || true sudo chmod -x /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news 2>/dev/null || true sudo chmod -x /etc/update-motd.d/80-livepatch 2>/dev/null || true sudo sed -i 's/^ENABLED=.*/ENABLED=0/' /etc/default/motd-news 2>/dev/null || true sudo snap refresh --hold 2>/dev/null || true sudo rm -rf \ /home/*/.cache/ubuntu-report \ /home/*/.cache/ubuntu-insights \ /root/.cache/ubuntu-report \ /root/.cache/ubuntu-insights ` @AOU why does Less than and Greater than not make it "code" in comments??? Is it nesting?

parent
link