Apple Drops Out of Top 20 Most Trusted Companies for Privacy

MacRumors · Jan 30, 2013

Apple has dropped out of the Top 20 list in world's largest survey of consumer trust. Apple's 21st ranking in the Ponemon Institute's Most Trusted Companies for Privacy Study is its lowest ranking in three years. The survey asks consumers to name and rate organizations they believe are most committed to protecting the privacy of their personal information.

Apple fell from 8th place in 2009 to 12th in 2010, 14th in 2011 and 21st in 2012. Apple was not the only major company to find itself having been knocked out of a top-20 place, being joined by both Google and Facebook.

The Ponemon Institute is careful to point out that the survey reflects consumer perceptions of privacy, rather than actual privacy practices. Apple Insider notes that Apple has tightened its privacy controls in a number of ways following revelations that the Path app was uploading users' address books without permission. Apple now requires apps to obtain explicit permission from users before contact information can be accessed. Apps also seek permission before using accessing location data.

Both Apple's App Store and Google's Android Market were criticised by the FTC in December for failing to disclose to parents ways in which data might be shared from children's apps.

Article Link: Apple Drops Out of Top 20 Most Trusted Companies for Privacy

needfx · Jan 30, 2013

your privacy is not your property

MRU · Jan 30, 2013

So much for doubling down security

needfx said:
your privacy is not your property

Not those pictures haunting me again. I've told you before they were just 'curiosity shots'

rmwebs · Jan 30, 2013

Not really surprising.

People slate Google when it comes to privacy, but in reality all the big boys adopt the same approach, Google are just able to make more cash out of it than anyone else due to their search business.

At the end of the day not a single one of them uses identifiable information, it doesn't get sold to anyone, its all used for advertisements and working out usage trends to tweak services. We for example make use of visitor tracking (like most websites do) to work out where people leave our site, so for things like online shops you can say 'ok where did our site go wrong - why did the user not checkout' and tweak stuff until your conversion rates improve.

The idea that someone like Google, Apple, Microsoft, etc are secretly selling your personal details is just dumb.

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MacRumorUser said:
So much for doubling down security

They never said anything about your security though

turtlez · Jan 30, 2013

oh shiiii better stop using my MAC! Someone might find out my first name then all hell is gonna break loose! I hope my neighbour who I dislike doesn't give away my address, phone number, DOB, visual description, likes/dislikes, biography, photos of my home, rock samples from my driveway!!!

You can start to see how Apple finding out that I visited Facebook, macrumors etc doesn't really matter if you take a step back and think like someone with intelligence. After all they are using the meaningless info to make our lives better so stop whining.

PS. Apple knows my first and last name as well as my address, phone number, credit card number etc because I ordered my mac online. So yeh.

Tech198 · Jan 30, 2013

*wish i had those speeds*

Apple being knocked of the list here...... I know it should affect me, but it doesn't... mainly because i only put info i want......

But I'm not really surprised..... What starts out as "the best in privacy" doesn't take long to slide.

Those people who always use REAL details, and also enter ALL REAL details are gonna be the ones affected. Not me

rmwebs · Jan 30, 2013

Tech198 said:
Those people who always use REAL details, and also enter ALL REAL details are gonna be the ones affected. Not me

Could you explain how they will be affected? Serious question.

elkk · Jan 30, 2013

facebook has been knocked out of the top 20 most trusted companies...

facebook was actually viewed as a trusted company..?

ArtOfWarfare · Jan 30, 2013

Three companies falling off means three new companies joined the list. Who were they?

Anyways, I'm shocked Google or Facebook was on the list in recent times... neither company has seemed remotely interested in keeping my private data private in the past few years.

Although I guess it was only recently that Google started regularly having pop ups saying "Hey! Tell us where you are!". Wow, couldn't be attacking my privacy any more blatantly than that... how about you accept the fact that I'm intentionally not sharing and just shut up?

ArchAndroid · Jan 30, 2013

ArtOfWarfare said:
Anyways, I'm shocked Google or Facebook was on the list in recent times... neither company has seemed remotely interested in keeping my private data private in the past few years.

This.

Facebook - a company who overtly gives away your information to anyone who's willing to pay them.

Google - a company who covertly gives away your information to anyone who's willing to pay them.

I guess there must be a lot of credulous folk out there to even have considered previously putting those two in the top 20.

Lesser Evets · Jan 30, 2013

Show me a person that trusts a company, I'll show you a world-class moron.

Tech198 · Jan 30, 2013

rmwebs said:
Could you explain how they will be affected? Serious question.

Wasn't meant to be serious in anyway. Just thought i'd though in how I enter my details, and not rely on companies with my personal details.

What if Apple started selling off your personal details on record to double click ?

This is why i'm always careful with giving out any real info to any company(s), since you dunno what they gonna do later ..... The privacy policy is only a means to reassure the user.... (that is until they change it)

Paypal has gone though several updates already.

apfeljonas · Jan 30, 2013

Anyone else first thought that institute's name was Pokemon?

samcraig · Jan 30, 2013

Oh for craps sake people - this is all about perception. It's not that people trust google or X company more. This just ranks the top 20 companies overall. Has anyone looked at the list?

Stop acting like people are saying they don't TRUST Apple - that's not what is being said.

Apple doesn't have to be #1 at everything or on every list. Wow.

WiiDSmoker · Jan 30, 2013

apfeljonas said:
Anyone else first thought that institute's name was Pokemon?

Gotta Protect Them All!

toille4 · Jan 30, 2013

apfeljonas said:
Anyone else first thought that institute's name was Pokemon?

This was the first thing I read too! Haha

Bubba Satori · Jan 30, 2013

Lesser Evets said:
Show me a person that trusts a company, I'll show you a world-class moron.

Here ya go.

Going to be a rude awakening for the faithful.

HelveticaRoman · Jan 30, 2013

If you want privacy, be private.

Oletros · Jan 30, 2013

ArchAndroid said:
Google - a company who covertly gives away your information to anyone who's willing to pay them.

Google doesn't give away or sell any information

rmwebs · Jan 30, 2013

ArchAndroid said:
This.

Facebook - a company who overtly gives away your information to anyone who's willing to pay them.

Google - a company who covertly gives away your information to anyone who's willing to pay them.

I guess there must be a lot of credulous folk out there to even have considered previously putting those two in the top 20.

Bit of an uneducated view point there given that neither Facebook or Google sell any information

Plutonius · Jan 30, 2013

Oletros said:
Google doesn't give away any information

True, they charge for the information

.

Rogifan · Jan 30, 2013

Is the Ponemon Institute a widely respected/trusted institute? I've never head d them before.

Tech198 · Jan 30, 2013

Google is an advertiser ........ that info is profitable ......

Most break privacy down in all sorts ........ one person may say "I don't want Google to know where i go go online", while others just say "i don't give out CC details to Google."

How do you think Google makes money ? This is why all their stuff (web dev tracking etc.. is free)

samcraig · Jan 30, 2013

And yet another thread will devolve into Apple vs Google.

I expect we'll see the quote that if you're not paying for a service, you're the product.

Google sells your personal information.

Google tracks everything you do without your permission

Google is evil

Apple doesn't sell your information

Android is riddled with ads

and so on...

Why people want to get bent out of shape because of this report is astounding.

Has anyone actually READ the report by the way? You know - instead of just reading the article on this site?

p.s. it must REALLY burn some people's butts that Microsoft is on the list...

iMikeT · Jan 30, 2013

Lesser Evets said:
Show me a person that trusts a company, I'll show you a world-class moron.

That's pretty much every Libertarian, Republican, and hard-right dingbat that I know.

Apple Drops Out of Top 20 Most Trusted Companies for Privacy

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