Thread

Google breaks promise to provide 10 years of updates to Chromebooks

355 points · 156 comments · speckx

jezzamon · 1790860299 · focus · HN ↗
Discussed a lot here: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49893653">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49893653
Seems to be more reasonable than this title suggests?
Some comments: "So they have introduced a major change and said any older Chromebooks bought going forward will only get 8. So its not a retrospective reduction for existing customers." (Edit: actually I think this comment is wrong, if you bought a Chromebook 1 year ago, you'd only get 9 years of ChromeOS updates)
"From my understanding of the article, it sounds like ChromeOS support is getting pared back for those devices, but the devices themselves should still be supported, albeit via a (planned but not yet in existence) migration path to GooglebookOS."
1. hedora · 1790860980 · focus · HN ↗
  These devices are usually bought on contract, with lots of lock in.
  In particular, there are lots of schools getting screwed over financially. Maybe they’ll switch vendors, or use the money for education. Chromebook spending has a strong negative correlation with educational performance.
  As a parent, I am supposed to have control over my kids’ personal information, but the schools firehose all the most sensitive kids’ info they have to an unlawful marketing firm that I do not trust. How do I opt out?
  1. eitally · 1790862046 · focus · HN ↗
    Education contracts do not allow Google to use customer data for advertising.
    shevy-java · 1790862614 · focus · HN ↗
    But they still store the data.
    afavour · 1790863887 · focus · HN ↗
    Same goes for any third party service using Google Cloud. Google technically stores the data. They still can’t use it though.
    Forgeties79 · 1790864847 · focus · HN ↗
    “Can’t”
    freedomben · 1790865148 · focus · HN ↗
    Correct, "can't". Are you suggesting they secretly violate the contract and use the data anyway?
    paimapi · 1790867087 · focus · HN ↗
    surely you can take two minutes out of your day and do basic websearches for privacy class actions and settlements
    <a href="https://www.classaction.org/news/microsoft-collects-massive-amounts-of-info-from-k-12-students-without-parental-consent-class-action-lawsuit-claims" rel="nofollow">https://www.classaction.org/news/microsoft-collects-massive-...
    <a href="https://www.k12dive.com/news/week-in-review-april-6-2026/816649/" rel="nofollow">https://www.k12dive.com/news/week-in-review-april-6-2026/816...
    <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/12/ftc-takes-action-against-education-technology-provider-failing-secure-students-personal-data" rel="nofollow">https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/12/...
    <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/journalists-sue-google-allegedly-using-their-voices-ai-training-2026-05-12/" rel="nofollow">https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/journalists-sue-goo...
    <a href="https://www.courthousenews.com/google-settles-class-action-over-data-transfers-for-135-million/" rel="nofollow">https://www.courthousenews.com/google-settles-class-action-o...
    eitally · 1790874826 · focus · HN ↗
    None of those have anything to do with Google for Education contracts, and I hope you realize that.
    [deleted] · 1790875971 · focus · HN ↗
    [deleted]
    Forgeties79 · 1790878190 · focus · HN ↗
    I really do not understand how anyone can give Google the benefit of the doubt in 2026. They literally make the law. They only adhere to the law when it makes financial sense.

Open on Hacker News to reply ↗

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.