So I read the revised article available then I read the dev’s response and I see no cause for concern. Admittedly I am not the most knowledgeable when it comes to coding but I know a little. All info forwarded to the dev has a purpose, if you scroll down the reddit thread in sure you’ll find his comment explaining it.
While yes I could download firmware direct from the manufacturer, this daemon is a far more user friendly than that. In addition, I have serious doubts as to the validity of the concerns of an author who would post the address, phone number and other personal details in an article dedicated to privacy concerns. That material has since been taken down but it should not have been posted in the first place.
I dislike sending information to mysterious people that don’t have a clear need for it but the information sent has a purpose here.
TL:DR I trust the dev, author of original article seems sketchy and didn’t do basic research. Much bigger things are of bigger concern to me…Facebook for one