Google Under Fire for Circumvention of Cookie Settings in Safari for iOS to Track Users

[thenerdal]

You've got anything but praise for Android/Google in all your posts. Not even gonna go through your post history again. Just relax. It's quite observant to involve Apple when blame is on Google. Keep defending.

No, I'm just not biased. What Google did is bad, yeah, but Apple does it too. They can track you.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/21/the-iphone-tracking-fiasco-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/

And don't say that Google sells data, because they don't. It's in their TOS. If they did, they'd be in trouble with the government quick, which hasn't happen.

 

[rusty2192]

What a weird conversation to read. If this was a browser other than Safari, the conversation would start with:

"Security flaw in browser xxx allows tracking of cookies without user permission"

And the conversation would then proceed to bash the hell out of the browser and the company that made the browser.

Actually, I believe this is the headline I saw on NBC news this morning. So Apple is getting bashed by at least some of the press.

 

[dethmaShine]

I find this "argument" or proof point if you want to call it, silly. Just because someone is critical of a company doesn't mean they own the competition. Nor does praising a company mean you own their tech.

In fact - if anything - I might lean towards being more critical of technology I own because - it's technology I own.

And isn't it entirely possible that people on tech on both android AND iOS? I know I do. But only for the past week.

I have 2 iMacs, a MacBook Pro, an iPod Touch, iPhone 4 (now not activated), iPad 1st gen, 2 Apple TVs and oh yeah - I just got a Samsung Skyrocket which is Android.

Clearly I am all about google. All about Android. And definitely a fAndroid because one of the devices in my home is not made by Apple. You caught me!

Yeah, I caught you.

Just go through your post history once again. That might remind you how much of Google defender you really are. But mostly, an apple critic for almost everything. It's not that hard to understand.

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No, I'm just not biased. What Google did is bad, yeah, but Apple does it too. They can track you.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/21/the-iphone-tracking-fiasco-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/

And don't say that Google sells data, because they don't. It's in their TOS. If they did, they'd be in trouble with the government quick, which hasn't happen.

Again talking about Apple... pointless.

 

[samcraig]

Yeah, I caught you.

Just go through your post history once again. That might remind you how much of Google defender you really are. But mostly, an apple critic for almost everything. It's not that hard to understand.

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Again talking about Apple... pointless.

I don't have to go through my post history. Did you not just read my explanation? I have more of a vested interest in Apple tech because most of what I own (and until last week - ALL that I owned really tech wise) is Apple.

And this is an Apple message board. I should go be critical elsewhere?

Sorry - I'm not here to always/sometimes/never praise Apple. Nor am I here to always/sometimes/never defend Google.

I post my thoughts and commentary based on how I feel and what I think about the topic at hand.

 

[thenerdal]

Again talking about Apple... pointless.

How is it pointless? I'm stating that Apple also can track you like Google can, which is why people shouldn't be mad at Google when Apple does it too.

I may sound like I'm defending Google, but I only post on these forums to correct misinformed people, which will make me sound like a "fanboy"

 

[Will do good]

Class action

I love to join a class action against Google.

Google is acting no difference than slimy News Corp in UK.

 

[808?]

By buying Google and shutting it down and screw the shareholders, keeping the money!

What about AAPL shareholders?

 

[dethmaShine]

How is it pointless? I'm stating that Apple also can track you like Google can, which is why people shouldn't be mad at Google when Apple does it too.

I may sound like I'm defending Google, but I only post on these forums to correct misinformed people, which will make me sound like a "fanboy"

People should be mad at every company that does these kinds of things. It's irrelevant whether it was Google or not. People went crazy when location gate came into picture. Apple got the heat even though Android had it too.

It's not about comparing -- Apple did this... so XYZ company can do it. It's ridiculously stupid talking like a that and sounding like a kid. No company should play with user privacy and security.

like Google can, which is why people shouldn't be mad at Google when Apple does it too.

That's why its pointless discussing with you. You don't even understand the matter and trying to relate it with Apple and somehow defending Google. No company should be spared for such actions; is all I'm saying.

but I only post on these forums to correct misinformed people

Nobody's misinformed. You're trying to swing it in a way it doesn't matter because some other company did that too. Stop being a kid already.

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I don't have to go through my post history. Did you not just read my explanation? I have more of a vested interest in Apple tech because most of what I own (and until last week - ALL that I owned really tech wise) is Apple.

And this is an Apple message board. I should go be critical elsewhere?

Sorry - I'm not here to always/sometimes/never praise Apple. Nor am I here to always/sometimes/never defend Google.

I post my thoughts and commentary based on how I feel and what I think about the topic at hand.

It absolutely doesn't look like. You're always moaning about something that Apple did or has done or is going to do. It does send a clear message but whatever.

 

[Joe-Diver]

We used known Safari functionality to provide features that signed-in Google users had enabled. It's important to stress that these advertising cookies do not collect personal information."

The why did you immediately stop the practice once it was discovered??

Because it's wrong, you know it's wrong, and you got caught.

Bad move Google.

 

[JAT]

Fine.

Apple does the same...


- «Apple: "We stopped supporting Carrier IQ with iOS 5 in most of our products and will remove it completely in a future software update."»
This was Apple finding a 3rd party software they didn't like and protecting users' privacy. I guess your argument is they should've found it sooner? I guess, let's attack them incessantly until we die.
- «[...]apps for iOS accessed users' contact information and uploaded that data to servers, all without any explicit permission granted on the user's part.»
This was completely a 3rd party app, not Apple. If you are going to accuse someone of something, at least get their freaking NAME correct.
- «By now you've no doubt heard about a certain iOS database file called consolidated.db. It made quite a splash yesterday when a pair of researchers, Alasdair Allan and Pete Warden, from O'Reilly Media announced the iPhone tracking software the duo had discovered hidden on the phones.»
That is a necessary function of a modern phone, even dumb phones. And it is not sent to Apple, it resides on your phone. The only issue that even came close to meaning anything was how often the log was purged, some people were paranoid about their computer being stolen or seized, and this file in the backup would have more days than they wished. How often do people have to explain this to Apple haters? Please answer, I'd like to know.
- «Apple: "We may collect information such as occupation, language, zip code, area code, unique device identifier, location, and the time zone where an Apple product is used so that we can better understand customer behavior and improve our products, services, and advertising."»
That is normal privacy policy as mandated by governments. (perhaps your ire is with the govts?) All software companies have policies about this, and most of it is opt-out-able by the user. The news story here in this thread today is about a different kind of privacy issue, but it seems you can't understand that.
They're all the same, and its not "evil".

Seriously, not even ONE applies?! I'm sure you could find one that was similar, if it existed.

 

[sillypooh]

No cookie means no cookie! That Google would go to great length to track users through shady hacks and circumvent my privacy settings is unacceptable.

 

[thenerdal]

People should be mad at every company that does these kinds of things. It's irrelevant whether it was Google or not. People went crazy when location gate came into picture. Apple got the heat even though Android had it too.

It's not about comparing -- Apple did this... so XYZ company can do it. It's ridiculously stupid talking like a that and sounding like a kid. No company should play with user privacy and security.



That's why its pointless discussing with you. You don't even understand the matter and trying to relate it with Apple and somehow defending Google. No company should be spared for such actions; is all I'm saying.



Nobody's misinformed. You're trying to swing it in a way it doesn't matter because some other company did that too. Stop being a kid already.

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It absolutely doesn't look like. You're always moaning about something that Apple did or has done or is going to do. It does send a clear message but whatever.

I agree with you a bit. I was just using Apple as an example since there are a majority of Apple followers on this forum.

I only criticize Apple a bit because I love tech. I do that to every company. For example. The iPhone should have a bigger screen. Android should have hardware acceleration, which it does in ICS, I believe. The iPad should have a different UI, etc.

 

[JAT]

So wait: actually you were saying that there's a security hole in Apple's Safari, right?

But "Google under attack" sounds so more delightful...rrrright!

You do have a point. No doubt a fix will be in the next Safari update.

But as mentioned, bugs exist everywhere in software. Tell companies about them, that's the solution.

 

[paul4339]

No cookie means no cookie! That Google would go to great length to track users through shady hacks and circumvent my privacy settings is unacceptable.

yes, and they didn't make a change until they were exposed by a Stanford grad... So what about all they stuff that hasn't been exposed yet?

.

 

[JAT]

How is it pointless? I'm stating that Apple also can track you like Google can, which is why people shouldn't be mad at Google when Apple does it too.

I hope you don't watch Person of Interest.

 

[FloatingBones]

Google has Yahoos?

Apologies to the Yahoos.

 

[thenerdal]

Fine.

Seriously, not even ONE applies?! I'm sure you could find one that was similar, if it existed.

Yes. the last one. They get your location, which is what tracking is....

 

[nsayer]

And this is why I prefer Apple products to Google's freebies. I buy things from Apple. Our relationship is a direct vendor-buyer relationship. Apple's continued ability to keep me (and millions more like me) happy has a direct pecuniary impact on them.

Google gives stuff away for free that it uses to shove ads in front of me. I am not their customer. I am the product being sold. It the very quintessence of foolishness to believe that they're not going to do everything and anything to increase my value to their customers, whether it benefits me or not.

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How is it pointless? I'm stating that Apple also can track you like Google can, which is why people shouldn't be mad at Google when Apple does it too.

Cui bono?

Google sells add impressions and information about its users to third parties. Apple sells products and services to its users.

If you don't immediately see how the same actions by both companies should be viewed differently, then you're a fool.

 

[gotluck]

And this is why I prefer Apple products to Google's freebies. I buy things from Apple. Our relationship is a direct vendor-buyer relationship. Apple's continued ability to keep me (and millions more like me) happy has a direct pecuniary impact on them.

Google gives stuff away for free that it uses to shove ads in front of me. I am not their customer. I am the product being sold. It the very quintessence of foolishness to believe that they're not going to do everything and anything to increase my value to their customers, whether it benefits me or not.

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Cui bono?

Google sells add impressions and information about its users to third parties. Apple sells products and services to its users.

If you don't immediately see how the same actions by both companies should be viewed differently, then you're a fool.

yes, you do have a point but regardless - apple tracks us too. remember location services?

 

[hexor]

This year I changed my default search engine to Bing in Safari. I no longer wished to support Google in any way. I do switch to Google search when Bing doesn't give me what I need but at least 90% of my searches take place on Bing now.

 

[nsayer]

yes, you do have a point but regardless - apple tracks us too. remember location services?

What is the most evil thing you can consider Apple might have done with that information that is still consistent with their basic business plan? If you change "Apple" to "Google," then you get a far, far different answer.

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This year I changed my default search engine to Bing in Safari. I no longer wished to support Google in any way. I do switch to Google search when Bing doesn't give me what I need but at least 90% of my searches take place on Bing now.

The only benefit I see to doing so is that you've switched to a slightly dumber group of evil people.

 

[gotluck]

What is the most evil thing you can consider Apple might have done with that information that is still consistent with their basic business plan? If you change "Apple" to "Google," then you get a far, far different answer.

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The only benefit I see to doing so is that you've switched to a slightly dumber group of evil people.

Well, it sounds like you dont like the web search business. Apple doesnt participate in that business so they get the moral high ground i suppose. Personally, apples profit margin / lack of affordability / upgradeability (ie. greed imo) is what keeps me on pc for desktop purposes. Any alternatives to google do the same thing. Maybe not identical to this particular circumstance, but web search is a highly 'tracked' sector.

 

[jonnysods]

Man, Google are wading into some deep public privacy issues lately eh?

 

[SockRolid]

Google has become The Company of Evil Bozos.

 

[GermanyChris]

google is great lots of "FREE" services..This is why they don't cost money

Quick let me go out and get an Android phone too