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Have any of you read the WSJ article concerning privacy and apps? I did.

Bottom line Apple apps were by no means "better" in terms of privacy preservation than the Android apps.

The WSJ article was clear that the sample size was too small to draw that conclusion.
 
Oh noes, the UUID! I feel so insecure now! :rolleyes:
If anything sue AOL and Google. They always take information. And Apple doesn't even make the apps, so why are THEY getting sued? Not to mention we don't even know yet if the UUIDs ARE getting stolen.

Trolls :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::confused:

Um yeah they are.

Code:
UIDevice *device = [UIDevice currentDevice];
NSString *uniqueIdentifier = [device uniqueIdentifier];

That's the Objective C Code, that gives me your devices ID Code.

But that's nothing new... it's been a feature in the SDK forever.
 
Bottom line Apple apps were by no means "better" in terms of privacy preservation than the Android apps.

Relying on Apple to preserve ones privacy doesn't work.

While I think this lawsuit is basically a money machine or the lawyers involved, I feel it is important that companies learn that disrespect of privacy issues will come at a price.

The main argument is that these aren't "Apple apps". These are 3rd party iPhone Apps. If you used only Apple installed apps. No App Store. You'd be OK.

I'm not saying that that's necessarily an excuse, nor am I saying that Android is any better/worse. Just pointing out that you are dealing with multiple companies here, not just Apple.

arn
 
I really don't understand what all of the hoopla is about though as A LOT OF OTHER COMPANIES have done much worse for years and years...

1. This is just a lawsuit, so we only have accusations of one party which is certainly not neutral or unbiased. In other words, just because they say Apple is doing something wrong, doesn't mean Apple is doing it, and doesn't mean it's wrong.

2. Apple has tens of billions of dollars in the bank. So anyone will sue Apple no matter how small the chance of winning is.
 
So you're saying that advertisers can link your iPhone ID number with your AT&T account information and credit info? It would have to be AT&T providing this.

And if they can sue Apple for allowing this on iPads and iPhones, then Apple and Microsoft can be sued because the OS on peoples home computers allow people to collect information about them if they search the web etc.

No see my response above, AT&T already has all of your info including your Social Security Number and they have known what phone you have and where you are, based off of your SIM card and their cell towers since cellphones were invented. The iPhone was not the first cellphone with a GPS in it either.. they have know EXACTLY where you are for a very long time.
 
I'll point out there there are two issues here.

1. Apple provides a UDID which is a unique device identifier, which is anonymous by itself. Developers can access this and it's used frequently to track very useful stuff. Since it gives each install something uniquely identifiable
2. Some ad networks and or apps are collecting data and transmitting this alongside the UDID. So if you sign up for some service which asks for your age, it might send your age, gender etc... to an ad network alongside your UDID. This is to target ads more effectively.

arn

Great post Arn.. This thread is turning into the iPad 2 case thread where You always had the few people who did not read or comprehend what was actually being discussed.

"I can't believe the're going to make the iPad 2 out of that ugly plastic"

OMG... Save us..
 
What are people's thoughts, and the class action-lawsuit, on analytics gathering engines such as Flurry?
 
This is scary and a good argument for "indie" developers to form an LLC. Your free hobby app could cost you your home and wages.

First thing I did before I released my first App..

SudoWorks "LLC"

I feel bad for the indie developers targeted by the lawsuit as it's more likely that they did not consult a lawyer as to how to protect themselves with a privacy policy/opt-in system.
 
the shady underbelly of smartphone use. i'm kinda leery of this as you can't probably trust app developers all that much. even if you say its still harmless data like age, location etc. if you didnt give permission for it to be sent i still think its shady and wrong. tracking cookies were bad enough on the pc but now its direct, personal, real-life tangible data that you probably wouldn't really want them to have. i know i'd be creeped out if my pc sent out my age and other stuff to random people why should it be acceptable on a smartphone?
 
The main argument is that these aren't "Apple apps". These are 3rd party iPhone Apps. If you used only Apple installed apps. No App Store. You'd be OK.

I'm not saying that that's necessarily an excuse, nor am I saying that Android is any better/worse. Just pointing out that you are dealing with multiple companies here, not just Apple.

arn

Every app sold through iTunes is an "Apple app" in a sense. They approve each one and rubber stamp it as meeting their guidelines. When an app turns out to be dirty, sure you can blame the dev but ultimately Apple approved it for sale and put their brand behind it. Maybe if there was no approval process this would be a different story.
 
So, are you arguing that Apple should exert more control over third party software?

Especially considering that the FTC investigated when Apple announced plans to disallow the transmission of UDIDs to third party ad networks.

Actually, no. I'm for Apple exerting zero control over 3rd party apps. People should be allowed to develop any type of app they please and make it available (a la Cydia).

That said, if Apple is going to play the Morality & Safety Police game, then they should be held responsible for the consequences of their actions (or in this case, inactions).
 
No see my response above, AT&T already has all of your info including your Social Security Number and they have known what phone you have and where you are, based off of your SIM card and their cell towers since cellphones were invented. The iPhone was not the first cellphone with a GPS in it either.. they have know EXACTLY where you are for a very long time.

On the subject of Social Security numbers, I don't ever give mine if I think the info is not needed (Banks, government, credit card applications etc.. (I'd say 99% of the time not needed)

Unfortunately at car rental places, hotels or other info gathering zealous places it's usually a fruitless discussion with a clerk following company rules.

So, instead of arguing I write in/use my REAL SSN, EXCEPT I reverse 2 numbers in the sequence. (You decide)

Now , if it was really important you would be contacted that something isn't right with your SSN AND you can apologize that you reversed a number.
Oops:)

If on the other hand nobody ever contacts you about your partially incorrect SSN , it shows they didn't need it to begin with and it is just filed someplace or in a system where it doesn't matter.

Never had to show my SSN card for verification (We are not supposed to carry it) and no discussions with any clerk, doctor's receptionist etc.etc.

I have been doing this for over 25 years and am still waiting for the first call to question my SSN ! :)
 
Actually, no. I'm for Apple exerting zero control over 3rd party apps. People should be allowed to develop any type of app they please and make it available (a la Cydia).

That said, if Apple is going to play the Morality & Safety Police game, then they should be held responsible for the consequences of their actions (or in this case, inactions).

Why does it have to be all or nothing? Apple's review process should be held to the standard that it has promised it's users. If they are letting through apps that release private data that Apple said they would not allow to be released, then they should be held accountable.

UDIDs are specifically allowed the last I heard. Which was after Apple changed their policy as a result of complaints and a possible FTC investigation.

What has Apple promised it's users about the privacy of data in third party apps? (Serious question.)
 
I get a kick out of reading the apple fanboys comments. Apple can do no wrong. Boy, you folks are really brainwashed by apple. As it's only a lawsuit at this time, no one knows how this will turn out. If it gets class action status, then there must be some wrong doing for a judge to grant this. Since apple is the center of how iAd works and does collect money from the benefit of such, then apple should bare the brunt of the lawsuit. What stinks about any class action suit is the folks who this happens to won't see much money at all. Better off removing yourself from the class action and get your own lawyer. At least get more money from the greedy apple empire. But as usual, apple will settle out of court so they don't have to admit guilt !
 
An issue that people claimed Apple wouldn't participate in with iAd. I remember all the claims that "Android is about stealing your info to sell to advertisers!" and "Apple will never stoop that low, they are protecting you with iAd!". All the attacks on Google about privacy and Apple being different...

Seriously, anyone who actually believed that Apple wouldn't do this was delusional. Thanks for the first spin post though. "We weren't wrong, we never claimed Apple would never do this!".

I think it is you that are delusional because you have no proof that Apple did this.
 
Every app sold through iTunes is an "Apple app" in a sense. They approve each one and rubber stamp it as meeting their guidelines. When an app turns out to be dirty, sure you can blame the dev but ultimately Apple approved it for sale and put their brand behind it. Maybe if there was no approval process this would be a different story.

You are wrong. The App Store is just like any retail store. Could any retail store be sued for selling lead containminated products? I do not remember any had.
 
The main argument is that these aren't "Apple apps". These are 3rd party iPhone Apps. If you used only Apple installed apps. No App Store. You'd be OK.

...

arn


Apple takes 30% of the revenue, Apple sells these apps exclusively. Apple reserves the right to refuse apps that do not meet certain standards...

...with this amount of control and cash comes some responsibility and liability....quite rightfully in my book...
 
your iphone ties you to a unique AT&T account. it's the holy grail since trying to figure out who is who has been a problem in the last 10 years with internet advertising.

you open an app and it sends known data about you which is then compared with other data that has been collected to market to you

That's bulls**t. An app can't access those details.
 
Apple takes 30% of the revenue, Apple sells these apps exclusively. Apple reserves the right to refuse apps that do not meet certain standards...

...with this amount of control and cash comes some responsibility and liability....quite rightfully in my book...

You are wrong. No retailer is responsible for the products they sell not even the cigarette vendors.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

kas23 said:
I understand that Apple is not developing these apps, but they are entangled in these apps due to their involvement in "approving" these apps, distributing these apps using their servers, and also by making money off their sale. Therefore, Apple should take more responsibility for the app's content and consequences. If they don't want to take the heat, then they should remove themselves from the app approving/distributing business.

So Apple et. all are being sued for doing what Google tries to do (in a different way) every millisecond of everyday...?

It's not a secret what Google does. It's one of their well-known practices. It's actually how every advertising firm survives - by marketing to the appropriate demographic. That said, if you don't like this, you shouldn't use their services. Nor watch TV, read the newspaper, use a credit card, or use any frequent shopper cards, as all of these services are monitoring your behaviors and habits.

You forgot surf the web. That's right. IP Addresses are logged on many sites, but there isn't exactly a way around that either so... It is what it is. Proxy servers have to know your IP to work, so don't think that's 100% protection.
 
There's a difference between modern advertising and the old style physical junk mail; with junk mail if you didn't get Advert X through your letter box, you didn't get anything instead of it. However, with web-based advertising, you always get the advert. So once you accept that, it's a matter of deciding if you're going to get hit with x number of adverts a day, do you want those to be completely random adverts, many of which will be of no relevance to you whatsoever, or do you want them to be targeted so some might actually be of some use to you?

In other words, if Apple are going to bombard me with iAds, I'd actually prefer them to know a bit about me rather than keep serving me adverts about lip gloss and retirement homes.
 
I'm waiting to see how the "Apple does no wrong" crowd spins this so as to say they weren't wrong when they said Apple wasn't going to do this. :rolleyes:

Apple has not been found to have done anything wrong. Attorney trolls have only sued Apple to discover it indeed anything could have been done wrong.

It's no different if someone were to sue you. It doesn't mean they have a case that you have done squat. Anyone can be sued for anything, however the deeper the pockets you have the more likely you will get sued.
 
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