Balena - Revision history

Emanuele: added archive links

2026-01-26T21:11:13Z

added archive links

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:11, 26 January 2026
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	\|Website=https://www.balena.io/		\|Website=https://www.balena.io/
	}}		}}
	[[wikipedia:Etcher (software)\|Balena]] (formerly known as [https://resin.io/ Resin.io]) provides a platform focused on DevOps management for servers, clients, and local cross platform device software. It also offers tools for updating, deploying and maintaining code bases.		[[wikipedia:Etcher (software)\|'''Balena''']] (formerly known as [https://resin.io/ Resin.io]) provides a platform focused on DevOps management for servers, clients, and local cross platform device software. It also offers tools for updating, deploying and maintaining code bases.

	==Consumer-impact summary==		==Consumer-impact summary==
	Balena has been one of the bigger companies that has open sourced most if not all products for users to tinker with. However, recently they have resorted to anti-consumer tactics ~~for profit~~. Such violations include:		Balena has been one of the bigger companies that has open sourced most if not all products for users to tinker with. However, recently they have resorted to anti-consumer tactics. Such violations include:

	*Breach of user trust		*Breach of user trust
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	===Balena Etcher Collecting data on users drive and filename being flashed (2018 - present)===		===Balena Etcher Collecting data on users drive and filename being flashed (2018 - present)===
	As early as 2018, Balena has been gathering specific user telemetry on their software [https://etcher.balena.io/ Balena Etcher] without consent.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=sneak \|date=2018-02-18 \|title=etcher spies on the user without consent · Issue #2057 · balena-io/etcher \|url=https://github.com/balena-io/etcher/issues/2057 \|url-status=live \|access-date=2025-03-31 \|website=Github Issues}}</ref> Specific information includes IP address, USB device info and the filename being flashed being sold to their 3rd party AD network partners compromising users privacy and trust for profit. Many other privacy focused open sourced groups that have relied on Etcher like [https://tails.net/ Tails] have completely removed recommendation of using Balena Etcher to install their operating system.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2025-02-19 \|title=Tails - Replacing balenaEtcher with Rufus as installer for Windows \|url=https://tails.net/news/rufus/index.en.html \|url-status=~~live~~ \|access-date=2025-03-31 \|website=Tails}}</ref> While there are many alternatives to Balena Etcher they tend to be a bit less user friendly and likely are not cross platform. Making them the de-facto choice among non tech literate users that are drawn into using it.		As early as 2018, Balena has been gathering specific user telemetry on their software [https://etcher.balena.io/ Balena Etcher] without consent.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=@sneak \|date=2018-02-18 \|title=etcher spies on the user without consent · Issue #2057 · balena-io/etcher \|url=https://github.com/balena-io/etcher/issues/2057 \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250311071415/https://github.com/balena-io/etcher/issues/2057 \|archive-date=2025-03-11 \|access-date=2025-03-31 \|website=Github Issues}}</ref> Specific information includes IP address, USB device info and the filename being flashed being sold to their 3rd party AD network partners compromising users privacy and trust for profit. Many other privacy focused open sourced groups that have relied on Etcher like [https://tails.net/ Tails] have completely removed recommendation of using Balena Etcher to install their operating system.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2025-02-19 \|title=Tails - Replacing balenaEtcher with Rufus as installer for Windows \|url=https://tails.net/news/rufus/index.en.html \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250330003542/https://tails.net/news/rufus/index.en.html \|archive-date=2025-03-30 \|access-date=2025-03-31 \|website=Tails}}</ref> While there are many alternatives to Balena Etcher they tend to be a bit less user friendly and likely are not cross platform. Making them the de-facto choice among non tech literate users that are drawn into using it.

	===Balena's Privacy Policy===		===Balena's Privacy Policy===
	Recently Balena made a minor change to its privacy policy<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2020-04-01 \|title=Old Privacy Statement - balena \|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250322034030/https://www.balena.io/privacy-policy \|~~url~~-~~status~~=~~dead~~ \|access-date=2025-04-01 \|website=Balena}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web \|date=2025-03-27 \|title=Privacy Statement - balena \|url=https://www.balena.io/privacy-policy \|url-status=~~live~~ \|access-date=2025-04-01 \|website=Balena}}</ref>. While the change was minor, the policy itself has been noted{{Citation needed}} to contain several clauses which users found concerning, including the following:		Recently Balena made a minor change to its privacy policy<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2020-04-01 \|title=Old Privacy Statement - balena \|url=https://www.balena.io/privacy-policy \|url-status=deviated \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250322034030/https://www.balena.io/privacy-policy \|archive-date=2025-03-22 \|access-date=2025-04-01 \|website=Balena}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web \|date=2025-03-27 \|title=Privacy Statement - balena \|url=https://www.balena.io/privacy-policy \|url-status=deviated \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250327215930/https://www.balena.io/privacy-policy \|archive-date=2025-03-27 \|access-date=2025-04-01 \|website=Balena}}</ref>. While the change was minor, the policy itself has been noted{{Citation needed}} to contain several clauses which users found concerning, including the following:

	====Fingerprinting users with help of third parties====		====Fingerprinting users with help of third parties====

Bythmusters: Copied info from infobox to cargo

2026-01-25T15:11:18Z

Copied info from infobox to cargo

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:11, 25 January 2026
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	{{~~InfoboxCompany~~		{{CompanyCargo
	\| ~~Name~~ = ~~Balena~~		\|Description=
	~~\| Type = Private~~		\|Founded=2013
	\| Founded = 2013		\|Industry=Software
	\| Industry = Software ~~Development~~		\|Logo=Balena.png
	\| ~~Official~~ Website = https://www.balena.io/		\|ParentCompany=
	~~\| Logo = Balena.png~~		\|Type=Private
	}}[[wikipedia:Etcher (software)\|Balena]] (formerly known as [https://resin.io/ Resin.io]) provides a platform focused on DevOps management for servers, clients, and local cross platform device software. It also offers tools for updating, deploying and maintaining code bases.		\|Website=https://www.balena.io/
			}}
			[[wikipedia:Etcher (software)\|Balena]] (formerly known as [https://resin.io/ Resin.io]) provides a platform focused on DevOps management for servers, clients, and local cross platform device software. It also offers tools for updating, deploying and maintaining code bases.

	==Consumer-impact summary==		==Consumer-impact summary==

AnotherConsumerRightsPerson: -cat

2025-10-26T18:34:32Z

-cat

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:34, 26 October 2025
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	<references />		<references />
	[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]		[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
	~~[[Category:Etcher]]~~

AnotherConsumerRightsPerson: /* Balena Etcher Collecting data on users drive and filename being flashed (2018) */

2025-09-20T10:11:59Z

Balena Etcher Collecting data on users drive and filename being flashed (2018)

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:11, 20 September 2025
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	==Incidents==		==Incidents==

	===Balena Etcher Collecting data on users drive and filename being flashed (2018)===		===Balena Etcher Collecting data on users drive and filename being flashed (2018 - present)===
	~~In as~~ early as 2018 Balena has been gathering specific user telemetry on their software [https://etcher.balena.io/ Balena Etcher] without consent.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=sneak \|date=2018-02-18 \|title=etcher spies on the user without consent · Issue #2057 · balena-io/etcher \|url=https://github.com/balena-io/etcher/issues/2057 \|url-status=live \|access-date=2025-03-31 \|website=Github Issues}}</ref> Specific information includes IP address, USB device info and the filename being flashed being sold to their 3rd party AD network partners compromising users privacy and trust for profit. Many other privacy focused open sourced groups that have relied on Etcher like [https://tails.net/ Tails] have completely removed recommendation of using Balena Etcher to install their operating system.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2025-02-19 \|title=Tails - Replacing balenaEtcher with Rufus as installer for Windows \|url=https://tails.net/news/rufus/index.en.html \|url-status=live \|access-date=2025-03-31 \|website=Tails}}</ref> While there are many alternatives to Balena Etcher they tend to be a bit less user friendly and likely are not cross platform. Making them the de-facto choice among non tech literate users that are drawn into using it.		As early as 2018, Balena has been gathering specific user telemetry on their software [https://etcher.balena.io/ Balena Etcher] without consent.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=sneak \|date=2018-02-18 \|title=etcher spies on the user without consent · Issue #2057 · balena-io/etcher \|url=https://github.com/balena-io/etcher/issues/2057 \|url-status=live \|access-date=2025-03-31 \|website=Github Issues}}</ref> Specific information includes IP address, USB device info and the filename being flashed being sold to their 3rd party AD network partners compromising users privacy and trust for profit. Many other privacy focused open sourced groups that have relied on Etcher like [https://tails.net/ Tails] have completely removed recommendation of using Balena Etcher to install their operating system.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2025-02-19 \|title=Tails - Replacing balenaEtcher with Rufus as installer for Windows \|url=https://tails.net/news/rufus/index.en.html \|url-status=live \|access-date=2025-03-31 \|website=Tails}}</ref> While there are many alternatives to Balena Etcher they tend to be a bit less user friendly and likely are not cross platform. Making them the de-facto choice among non tech literate users that are drawn into using it.

	===Balena's Privacy Policy===		===Balena's Privacy Policy===

AnotherConsumerRightsPerson: Thanks for the info, but it's not needed.

2025-09-20T10:11:11Z

Thanks for the info, but it's not needed.

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:11, 20 September 2025
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	\| Official Website = https://www.balena.io/		\| Official Website = https://www.balena.io/
	\| Logo = Balena.png		\| Logo = Balena.png
	}}[[wikipedia:Etcher (software)\|Balena]] (formerly known as [https://resin.io/ Resin.io]) provides a platform focused on DevOps management for servers, clients, and local cross platform device software. It also offers tools for updating, deploying and maintaining code bases ~~''(though that is mainly targeted at Linux)~~.''		}}[[wikipedia:Etcher (software)\|Balena]] (formerly known as [https://resin.io/ Resin.io]) provides a platform focused on DevOps management for servers, clients, and local cross platform device software. It also offers tools for updating, deploying and maintaining code bases.

	==Consumer-impact summary==		==Consumer-impact summary==

AnotherConsumerRightsPerson: /* Consumer-impact summary */

2025-09-18T18:18:02Z

Consumer-impact summary

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:18, 18 September 2025
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	==Consumer-impact summary==		==Consumer-impact summary==
	Balena has been one of the ~~more big~~ companies that has open sourced most if not all products for users to tinker with. However, recently they have resorted to anti-consumer tactics for profit. Such violations include:		Balena has been one of the bigger companies that has open sourced most if not all products for users to tinker with. However, recently they have resorted to anti-consumer tactics for profit. Such violations include:

	*Breach of user trust		*Breach of user trust

AnotherConsumerRightsPerson: Changed first link to interwiki link.

2025-09-15T19:40:23Z

Changed first link to interwiki link.

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:40, 15 September 2025
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	\| Official Website = https://www.balena.io/		\| Official Website = https://www.balena.io/
	\| Logo = Balena.png		\| Logo = Balena.png
	}}[~~https~~:~~//www.balena.io/~~ Balena] (formerly known as [https://resin.io/ Resin.io]) provides a platform focused on DevOps management for servers, clients, and local cross platform device software. It also offers tools for updating, deploying and maintaining code bases ''(though that is mainly targeted at Linux).''		}}[[wikipedia:Etcher (software)\|Balena]] (formerly known as [https://resin.io/ Resin.io]) provides a platform focused on DevOps management for servers, clients, and local cross platform device software. It also offers tools for updating, deploying and maintaining code bases ''(though that is mainly targeted at Linux).''

	==Consumer-impact summary==		==Consumer-impact summary==
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	==Alternatives==		==Alternatives==

	* [https://rufus.ie/en/ Rufus]		*[https://rufus.ie/en/ Rufus]

	==References==		==References==

2A02:810D:548D:E500:B4F0:82C1:670:B779: Start a list of alternatives so readers have an easy course of action if they conclude that they want to avoid Balena Etcher after reading the article

2025-08-04T19:08:29Z

Start a list of alternatives so readers have an easy course of action if they conclude that they want to avoid Balena Etcher after reading the article

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:08, 4 August 2025
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	Formerly known as Etcher; Balena Etcher is a free open source tool that flashes image files. it has recently had some controversial stir around how it collects user data within its app. Many users have started using other software to flash image files such as GNOME Disk, Rufus, DD (bash command), and the Disk Utility (Mainly for mac) that work without selling the consumer out.		Formerly known as Etcher; Balena Etcher is a free open source tool that flashes image files. it has recently had some controversial stir around how it collects user data within its app. Many users have started using other software to flash image files such as GNOME Disk, Rufus, DD (bash command), and the Disk Utility (Mainly for mac) that work without selling the consumer out.

	==~~See also~~==		==Alternatives==
	~~{{Placeholder box\|Link to relevant theme articles or companies with similar incidents~~.}}
			* [https://rufus.ie/en/ Rufus]

	==References==		==References==

92.40.194.117: fixed typos

2025-08-04T18:05:26Z

fixed typos

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:05, 4 August 2025
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	===Balena Etcher Collecting data on users drive and filename being flashed (2018)===		===Balena Etcher Collecting data on users drive and filename being flashed (2018)===
	In as early as 2018 Balena has been gathering specific user telemetry on their software [https://etcher.balena.io/ Balena Etcher] without consent.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=sneak \|date=2018-02-18 \|title=etcher spies on the user without consent · Issue #2057 · balena-io/etcher \|url=https://github.com/balena-io/etcher/issues/2057 \|url-status=live \|access-date=2025-03-31 \|website=Github Issues}}</ref> Specific information includes IP address, ~~usb~~ device info and the filename being flashed being sold to their 3rd party AD network partners compromising users privacy and trust for profit. Many other privacy focused open sourced groups that have relied on ~~etcher~~ like [https://tails.net/ Tails] have completely removed recommendation of using Balena Etcher to install their operating system.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2025-02-19 \|title=Tails - Replacing balenaEtcher with Rufus as installer for Windows \|url=https://tails.net/news/rufus/index.en.html \|url-status=live \|access-date=2025-03-31 \|website=Tails}}</ref> While there are many alternatives to Balena Etcher they tend to be a bit less user friendly and likely are not cross platform. Making them the de-facto choice among non tech literate users that are drawn into using it.		In as early as 2018 Balena has been gathering specific user telemetry on their software [https://etcher.balena.io/ Balena Etcher] without consent.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=sneak \|date=2018-02-18 \|title=etcher spies on the user without consent · Issue #2057 · balena-io/etcher \|url=https://github.com/balena-io/etcher/issues/2057 \|url-status=live \|access-date=2025-03-31 \|website=Github Issues}}</ref> Specific information includes IP address, USB device info and the filename being flashed being sold to their 3rd party AD network partners compromising users privacy and trust for profit. Many other privacy focused open sourced groups that have relied on Etcher like [https://tails.net/ Tails] have completely removed recommendation of using Balena Etcher to install their operating system.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2025-02-19 \|title=Tails - Replacing balenaEtcher with Rufus as installer for Windows \|url=https://tails.net/news/rufus/index.en.html \|url-status=live \|access-date=2025-03-31 \|website=Tails}}</ref> While there are many alternatives to Balena Etcher they tend to be a bit less user friendly and likely are not cross platform. Making them the de-facto choice among non tech literate users that are drawn into using it.

	===Balena's Privacy Policy===		===Balena's Privacy Policy===
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	===Balena Etcher (2016)===		===Balena Etcher (2016)===
	Formerly known as Etcher; Balena Etcher is a free open source tool that flashes image files. it has recently had some controversial stir around how it collects user data within ~~it's~~ app. Many users have started using other software to flash image files such as GNOME Disk, Rufus, DD (bash command), and the Disk Utility (Mainly for mac) that work without selling the consumer out.		Formerly known as Etcher; Balena Etcher is a free open source tool that flashes image files. it has recently had some controversial stir around how it collects user data within its app. Many users have started using other software to flash image files such as GNOME Disk, Rufus, DD (bash command), and the Disk Utility (Mainly for mac) that work without selling the consumer out.

	==See also==		==See also==

InTransparencyWeTrust at 17:39, 21 June 2025

2025-06-21T17:39:48Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:39, 21 June 2025
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	<references />		<references />
	[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]		[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
			[[Category:Etcher]]