A Day in the Life of Your Data: Apple Details How Companies Can Track You Across Apps and Websites

[MLC7]

How private are pictures in iCloud?

Apple, why don't you change iCloud? Where is the end to end encryption?

iCloud data security overview - Apple Support

iCloud uses strong security methods, employs strict policies to protect your information, and leads the industry in using privacy-preserving security technologies like end-to-end encryption for your data.

support.apple.com

 

[mi7chy]

Don't see anything new. Just taking credit for others' work like uBlock Origin with privacy filters, EFF Privacy Badger, etc.

 

[LeadingHeat]

I forgot to mention that I was talking about locally stored content when I wrote my previous post. Those have obviously been paid for in full already.

Okay, that makes more sense. Still is a little odd. Do you know the address it’s sending to? Does that give you any hints? I wonder if it’s like another user said where it’s to synchronize the play history across devices or handoff features.

 

[1rottenapple]

I bet you most people will be ok with data tracking over convenience.

Wow never had so many dislikes lol

 

[BimBamSmash]

Okay, that makes more sense. Still is a little odd. Do you know the address it’s sending to? Does that give you any hints? I wonder if it’s like another user said where it’s to synchronize the play history across devices or handoff features.

init.itunes.apple.com

I am not awefuly familiar with the handoff feature (it is switched off on my machine by the way), but I am pretty sure this is not happening for playback history sync, since it happens when I pause/resume/seek through the same track. It even happened on a fresh install of macOS with no iCloud credentials entered whatsoever.

 

[jlc1978]

Excellent PDF; but should be a video series.

Coming soon to ATV+

I can't say I'd be bothered, at all, since I exist on no social media platform, or use Google, or whatever. But, I expect a lot the now very vocal privacy advocates and FaceBook-haters will be unpleasantly surprised when the services they rely on and the apps they want raises their monthly "internet-services-bill" a couple of hundred dollars a month.

Even so they still can build a profile based on what others post; you don't need a FB account for FB to build a profile.

Except if it was a video I wouldn’t have watched it. Not everyone clicks on videos all day when they know how to read.

I'm surprised someone didn't ask for Apple to just text them the info...

 

[macfacts]

Someone takes a picture of you, they are not stealing your soul. Stop being so scared

 

[Apple_Robert]

Which is fine, if they want to make that choice. But it should be a (transparent) choice.

Sounds like you are a Google lover.

 

[Apple_Robert]

This is kinda funny, while trying to open the link to the document...

View attachment 1720636

This is all Greek to me.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Sounds like apple is bitter they didn't patent this first.

Sounds like you didn't bother reading the article.

 

[Apple_Robert]

You're in the driver's seat with your own data, but not when choosing which apps you can install on your own device. Nope, Apple still controls that access very strictly through their walled garden App Store.

Do you allow strangers to come into your home and dictate what you are allowed to do as well as telling you want they will do in your home? Why do you believe Apple doesn't have the right to do the same.

 

[macfacts]

Sounds like you didn't bother reading the article.

Yeah I did. If a dev uses a 3rd party API/framework to help build his app, it can also contain tracker functions. Thus you can get tracked across apps.
Boo hoo. This happens cause people want 99 cent apps.

 

[FrankieTDouglas]

Do you allow strangers to come into your home and dictate what you are allowed to do as well as telling you want they will do in your home? Why do you believe Apple doesn't have the right to do the same.

I don't know about you, but I paid for my home and get to choose how I want to run electricity into it, what type of plumbing system I want, and how it will be air conditioned.

I'm not renting my iPhone. I own it.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I don't know about you, but I paid for my home and get to choose how I want to run electricity into it, what type of plumbing system I want, and how it will be air conditioned.

I'm not renting my iPhone. I own it.

Even though you own your home, the city and state still dictate what kind of plumbing system you can use in the house, as well as the electrical system.

You own the phone. You do not own the software that runs on the phone you own. Apple has a legal right ( the App Store is their home) to dictate what apps are allowed to be sold out their house. You have the right to not install any third party apps on the phone you own. You also have the right to install any third party apps located in Apple's home, provided you agree to the terms of service.

 

[robertosh]

This is all Greek to me.

Just the typical cookie and personalization ads warning, it is not worth to even translate...

 

[zakarhino]

I bet you most people will be ok with data tracking over convenience.

That's because most people are technologically uninformed; they haven't quite grasped how critical their rights to privacy and free speech are.

 

[TheFluffyDuck]

Ah yes privacy! Like hosting chinese iCloud services in state owned data centres. Truely, Apple is a paragon of ones personal data security.

 

[bollman]

Even so they still can build a profile based on what others post; you don't need a FB account for FB to build a profile.

Well, that requires that I at least have friends or relatives that I would visit or socialize with, that would actually post anything on FaceBook, but no. My mum, bless her, sometimes posts a picture where I can be seen, but she knows not to tag me or anyone in my family in those pics.

TBH, I still have no idea what it is that people think is an intrusion into their privacy.
That adverts know what you searched online for?
That they know where you live and where you work?

That info is public information in this country anyways, it's not like I'd be giving up anything that isn't already publicly available.

 

[Futurix]

This is all fine and dandy while Apple being the richest company in the world.
But, they day social media apps costs hundreds of dollars, the little filter app for selfies 200 dollars and so on, the silver lining may fade.

For now, apps and social media is dead cheap, if not for free, because it's actually an advertising platform. Nobody watches linear TV anymore, or commercial radio, which means that way is not so appealing to advertisers. Environment concerns and cost prohibit the use of postal SPAM, while email SPAM is not that effective, and scorned upon by most people.

Advertisers will find new ways, but it will be at the cost of all the cheap apps and services.
Imagine Google charging by the search. Sure, there might be free alternatives, but not as good. YouTube charing $50 a month for unlimited views, FaceBook, Instagram, "whatever's IN this week-social media app" costs $20 with a $10 recurring fee for usage.

I can't say I'd be bothered, at all, since I exist on no social media platform, or use Google, or whatever. But, I expect a lot the now very vocal privacy advocates and FaceBook-haters will be unpleasantly surprised when the services they rely on and the apps they want raises their monthly "internet-services-bill" a couple of hundred dollars a month.

The amount of data that the advertisers were able to track until recently is unprecedented in the history of humanity - but advertising and free stuff existed before that as well. Social networks predated that, free apps predated that, etc etc. Advertising can still be shown, banners can still be put in the apps, and if the advertisers can't target as invasively as before (boo f***ing hoo) - they will still advertise to the extent allowed. You are imagining a false choice - it's not free Instagram vs paid Instagram, it's free Instagram with spyware vs without spyware.

 

[jlc1978]

Well, that requires that I at least have friends or relatives that I would visit or socialize with, that would actually post anything on FaceBook, but no. My mum, bless her, sometimes posts a picture where I can be seen, but she knows not to tag me or anyone in my family in those pics.

Good for her; however with facial recognition if someone else has tagged you then FB can identify you even without being tagged in that photo, as well as others in the photo and thus build connections. In theory they wouldn't even have to post on FB as long as FB can gain access to the information; if a person with you in their contacts has a photo of you attached to the contact and grants apps access to their contacts that's one way to make a connection. As long as data is shared there will be ways to make connections even for people who avoid social media.

Here is an interesting article on those "Shadow profiles."

 

[Wildkraut]

If you’re saying you were able to bypass a security feature, I’d look into the bug bounty program. You could get a payout potentially if what you’re saying is actually true.

Yes I managed, because I did not get the 6 digit security code. I was using Android for half a year, and somehow Apples 2FA SMS Codes was not being delivered to me, all my code requests went to nirvana. With what I did, I managed to regain access to my old AppleID, suddenly my new ios device got the allow|deny dialog, but this new device was never fully signed-in/authenticated with this AppleID. IIRC their security bounty program is for security researchers only, and I’m not one, somehow I’m also too lazy for all this registration shizzle. I will try to replicate, and think about it, or maybe just post somewhere. I already reported too many bugs in the past, and most of them was just left untouched by Apple.

 

[DeepIn2U]

I totally agree it will be an unpleasant surprise, but it’s long been coming. The simple fact is the public has been living in a fantasy land, getting mostly free apps, not asking what the true cost is and who’s paying it (because everything has a cost). Now the cost is (hopefully) being made known, so people will finally have to come to terms with whether they want to continue paying for it with their personal data, or pay the actual money cost, or just do without it. I see it as simply an overdue wake up call to the real world.

Well stated.

 

[Tech198]

I bet you most people will be ok with data tracking over convenience.

well, we are trusting more... so your right there

It's ok for Apple to keep announcing and be the forefront in talks of privacy.... I don't blame them for that, I just don't want then to be the kind to overstep their grounds.. (be too proud of themselves for the sake for just gettng users onboard and not backing any of it up)

Those who boast, get the most lol.. (i may remember that one)

 

[amartinez1660]

Yeah, and 2011 i filled a security issue to Apple about the clipboard being readout by many apps, incl. by user copied usernames/passwords, etc.. When did they add that Clipboard Info feature again?2019/2020! They surely can’t wear the white vest. Btw. just managed to bypass my 2FA(code request), but I needed a unconfigured ios device, my username and password for this... thinking about if i should open a issue or not, they don’t care anyway.

Would that qualify for a bug bounty hunt? Even if not directly a security issue described in code, sounds big to me

 

[I7guy]

This is all fine and dandy while Apple being the richest company in the world.
But, they day social media apps costs hundreds of dollars, the little filter app for selfies 200 dollars and so on, the silver lining may fade.

For now, apps and social media is dead cheap, if not for free, because it's actually an advertising platform. Nobody watches linear TV anymore, or commercial radio, which means that way is not so appealing to advertisers. Environment concerns and cost prohibit the use of postal SPAM, while email SPAM is not that effective, and scorned upon by most people.

Advertisers will find new ways, but it will be at the cost of all the cheap apps and services.
Imagine Google charging by the search. Sure, there might be free alternatives, but not as good. YouTube charing $50 a month for unlimited views, FaceBook, Instagram, "whatever's IN this week-social media app" costs $20 with a $10 recurring fee for usage.

I can't say I'd be bothered, at all, since I exist on no social media platform, or use Google, or whatever. But, I expect a lot the now very vocal privacy advocates and FaceBook-haters will be unpleasantly surprised when the services they rely on and the apps they want raises their monthly "internet-services-bill" a couple of hundred dollars a month.

That's like saying if the cops really started to enforce speed limits and fines the market for high-performance cars will dry up.

But it seems to bring up the question, who funds a lot of the internet. Your(as in the plural) data does.