Apple Named in Class Action Lawsuit Over Carrier IQ Privacy Issues

the other word

The word you were looking for jontech, is 'conservative'. Apple used a much more conservative approach, collecting only location data and network data related to handset performance, and no personal data.

I know you used the word in quotes, but in today's society, these two words have taken on an erroneous political meaning, where liberal is used to describe left leaning and conservative to describe right leaning, but that's not what those words mean at all.

Liberal means excessive, reckless, undisciplined, large in quantity (i.e. "I applied a liberal amount of creame cheese to my bagel"). Conservative means cautious, responsible, careful in consideration, restraint (i.e. "I was conservative in my investments, not putting too much money into the world growth fund, considering the current economic climate").

Apple was careful in their use of Carrier iQ software, limiting the kinds of data collected. Therefore, they were conservative in their approach.

Privacy Outrage Feedback Mechanism

Companies need to be "attacked" legally when they step on customer privacy.

Some negative feedback is....healthy.

It is hard to believe privacy issues are even an issue in this new Twitter/Facebook world we live in. I am surprised our mobile phones are not sending out personal information out to everyone without our consent and calling it a "New iOS / Android feature".

TWSS37 said:

Removing this feature in a prior OS does not abstain Apple from litigation.

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But having the user have to choose to turn the feature on from the start does.

ghostface147 said:

I guess I am the only one who doesn't care about carrier IQ. Doesn't bother me one bit.

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Of course it doesn't.

People only care when it's a competitor's product that would do the stealing.

Then it's, "Apple would never allow this! I love being in the walled garden!"

But since Apple signed off on it, it must be for your benefit right?

MacRumors said:

While it appears that the version of Carrier IQ's software installed on iOS devices is much less capable than that found on Android devices, concerns have still arisen over just what information is being logged and transmitted back to Carrier IQ to be passed on to carriers.

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It's funny how MacRumors fail to mention the fact that HTC, Motorola, and Samsung are also being sued here. They just say Apple and others. They also fail to mention that HTC, Motorola, and Samsung should be in more trouble is they lose cause of more capable Carrier IQ on the Android phones.

Well in reality I wish it was funny. But it's not. This is an Apple fanboy site. Fact. And the owners can't even tell the whole truth. They leave out bits to make Apple look worse then they are.

That's very sad.

The facts here are HTC, Motorola, Apple and Samsung as well as T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T are being sued. And if they all lose. Apple will get out of it the easiest cause of their less capable Carrier IQ on iOS. Well all being fair and just this will happen.

But we all know life is not fair and just. So I'd say pot luck as to what happens. But I will be watching this to see who wins and loses. Just to see if I can congratulate the US Legal system for a job well done or laugh at them for screwing up once again.

Chase R said:

Good. Regardless of how limited Apple's implementation was of Carrier IQ, they still used it. I'm sick and tired of the tech companies using their customers for research revenue after charging us for the phone and service in the first place.

I hope they make an example out of all the companies listed in this suit. Maybe that'll hold them at bay, for a while.

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A key difference is, as near as we can tell so far, that Apple only used it in ways they DID tell you about and let you opt out of! In fact, they ask you to opt IN when you first activate your phone, rather then burying the decision in Settings and fine print. That’s a whole different story than with some other phones.

And if Apple used something “limited” that logged less info (such as not logging your text entry) that really does make a difference. There’s no “regardless” about it: it’s not the same thing, by any evidence we have now (as well as by looking at Apple’s past practices: they side with users over carriers every time they can).

jontech said:

With Apple being control freaks I wonder if this software was more "liberal" on other handsets? Meaning Droid platform may have let IQ have more leeway on what it collected

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Droid platform is Carrier IQ free, Verizon doesn't install it on their phones

ghostface147 said:

I guess I am the only one who doesn't care about carrier IQ. Doesn't bother me one bit.

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kurosov said:

But having the user have to choose to turn the feature on from the start does.

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Unless you're reading something I'm not, this was running in the background without the user knowing it was there. Not to mention there was no way to disable this service.

To hide behind "this isn't violating any T&C you haven't already agreed to" is nonsense.

Maybe that explains those sudden data bursts that AT&T customers noticed? You know, when your phone sends like 15 MB of data out of the blue at 3 AM in the morning.... and you call customer service and they insist that you were up checking your email....

jbrown said:

I personally would like to see Apple spend a little less time in the law courts.

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Being the Big Bully in the tech sector, Apple thrills as they taunt and provoke, spin the truth and aggressively pursue others for the very same violations they have perpetrated in the past.

The only difference is Apple is so clever, so secretive and nefarious, they've got many in the mainstream news media conned.

In bed with Jobs suck up "Uncle Walt", Apple Evangelist Pogue, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal et al, it's full speed ahead, full on war.

Apple has brilliantly prepared years in advance for this assault. Their victims largely blindsided, never expected Apple to go off in this harmful direction.

There is nothing good that can come of this War Apple has started.

They're like thugs in the hood ... "my pile of cash is bigger than yours" and we (Apple) are going to crush you, ban you from selling, and destroy you forever.

Nice huh?

Oletros said:

Droid platform is Carrier IQ free, Verizon doesn't install it on they phones

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The only thing I am unclear on by this is while Verizon doesn't, Motorola was named. So did Moto load this on their Droid phones used by Verizon? Why would Verizon need to load this if their top manufacturers already were?

(This isn't me attacking your comment, this is me seriously wondering aloud.)

kasei said:

Wow! That did not take long!

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It never does. Any opportunity to make money brings class actions forth pretty quickly.

Where is Google?

Android is their OS. All those carriers are using Android.

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Oletros said:

Droid platform is Carrier IQ free, Verizon doesn't install it on they phones

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The public stack of the Droid platform is Carrier IQ free. The Corporate Stack that goes on every carrier is not.

Good!!!!

For those that didn't read the original article, this utility appears to capture keystrokes by bypassing the software stack and thus the encryption, and sends those keystrokes unencryped to the vendor. This means passwords and private information is sent. Unencryped.

So this raises two large concerns and many smaller ones.

1. The carrier has your truly secret info

2. The messages and every switch on the internet globally has your truly secret info UNENCRYPTED.

So the noise is valid.

We'll see how this fleshes out as to if the problem is as bad as it seems on its face, but if it is . . . .

We're talking jail. And proof of the source of tens of thousands of financial and information fraud schemes.

Rocketman

Oletros said:

Droid platform is Carrier IQ free, Verizon doesn't install it on their phones

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TWSS37 said:

The only thing I am unclear on by this is while Verizon doesn't, Motorola was named. So did Moto load this on their Droid phones used by Verizon? Why would Verizon need to load this if their top manufacturers already were?

(This isn't me attacking your comment, this is me seriously wondering aloud.)

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The Carrier doesn't do the installation. The smartphone maker does. The phone maker then sends the data to the carrier.

Thats how I read it at least.

Kestrel452 said:

Why isn't Verizon listed?!

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mw360 said:

Well if it turns out Apple have been sharing details of my calls and text messages with some damn phone company, I sure as hell will want a payout too.

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I hope you are being sarcastic. Do you really not think your cell company does not already know:

1) Every call you made on your cell phone?
2) The duration of every call you made on your cell phone?
3) The person you connected to on every single call you mad on your cell phone?
4) Every single text message you sent?
5) The contents (raw data) of the message?
6) Who you sent the message to?

You do realize, your cell company has no choice but to know all of the above to even work?

It's always interesting to see these lawsuits raised without one shred of proof or evidence. They should change the laws in the USA so that if the party who raised the lawsuit loses they have to pay ALL costs plus the costs of the defendants.

It seems to be the American carriers and Apple adding this crap to phones so I am not sure why other device makers are being sued.

PlipPlop said:

It seems to be the American carriers and Apple adding this crap to phones so I am not sure why other device makers are being sued.

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Where...Have...You...Been ?

Android is the biggest offender in this.

For those that understand the issue.

Rocketman said:

For those that didn't read the original article, this utility appears to capture keystrokes by bypassing the software stack and thus the encryption, and sends those keystrokes unencryped to the vendor. This means passwords and private information is sent. Unencryped.

So this raises two large concerns and many smaller ones.

1. The carrier has your truly secret info

2. The messages and every switch on the internet globally has your truly secret info UNENCRYPTED.

So the noise is valid.

We'll see how this fleshes out as to if the problem is as bad as it seems on its face, but if it is . . . .

We're talking jail. And proof of the source of tens of thousands of financial and information fraud schemes.

Rocketman

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Most of the above is inaccurate. There is no evidence at this point that even the Android versions actually sent the data anywhere except being logged if the logging was turned on at the developer level. There are concerns if this log (on a small subset of devices) is readable by other applications.

On iOS, there is no key logging done at all. It is very high level like: a call was placed, this is the signal strength at my location, my location is @@@@. A call was terminated.

re original article

logging software invading a persons privacy really sux

mdriftmeyer said:

Android is their OS. All those carriers are using Android.

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The public stack of the Droid platform is Carrier IQ free. The Corporate Stack that goes on every carrier is not.

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You know that Droid platform is exclusive of Verizon, don't you?

You know that Verizon doesn't use Carrier IQ, don't you?

And you know that is false that every corporate stack has carrier IQ, don't you?

Peace said:

Why doesn't the headline say "Samsung and other companies" instead of "Apple and other companies" ?

I'm sick of all these tech blogs placing Apple at the top when in fact they sell less phones than the other companies do.

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The reason _might_ be that Apple is the first in the alphabet. So someone could sue Apple, HTC, Motorola, Nokia, RIM, Samsung, in that order.