Apple Launches New Data and Privacy Website

[davidmartindale]

Despite being glad about the GDPR thing (at least I hope to be less distracted by telemarketing), my guess is that this "Temporary Deactivation" option will be certainly used by criminals...

If someone attempts to deactivate or delete an account emails are sent out and you have 7 days to cancel it.
[doublepost=1527079468][/doublepost]

Considering Apple's file size options, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say Apple logs a ton of data too. As with everything, YMMV based on length of time and amount of use.

Well you can download your entire iCloud Photo Library so in terms of those files it would be a huge amount of data.

I think that 9mb is probably more like address, phone numbers, which devices are owned, that sort of thing.

 

[kingalexthe1st]

I don't understand....

So, you can see the data on you they HOLD.

But you still don't know the data about you they have LOOKED AT.

Since they don't specify, as they have pointed out, I think you have to take the cynical route and assume they've looked at all the data they hold on you.

 

[johnyslats]

I'll bite. Let's see what they've got on me. Can't foresee any shocking revelations, but curious nonetheless

 

[Stella]

GDPR is benefiting us all, even if we aren't in the EU. Its a definite win for the consumer.

 

[dogslobber]

Simply banning IPs from EU countries would have been easier.

 

[DotCom2]

Good. I know no company is perfect when it comes to privacy protections, not even Apple, but I am glad to see them working to make this stuff clearer and more transparent to its users. Compared to Google, who's sole purpose for existing is data mining and advertising, I feel much more comfortable with my data in the hands of Apple. Hopefully they continue on this path.

I agree with you but it's not like they are doing this out of the goodness of their heart...the GDPR demands it.

 

[Stella]

Simply banning IPs from EU countries would have been easier.

Losing a lot of customers would be easy too..

[doublepost=1527081854][/doublepost]

Good. I know no company is perfect when it comes to privacy protections, not even Apple, but I am glad to see them working to make this stuff clearer and more transparent to its users. Compared to Google, who's sole purpose for existing is data mining and advertising, I feel much more comfortable with my data in the hands of Apple. Hopefully they continue on this path.

Google also let you download the information they have about you too.

Apple shares your data with 'strategic partners'.

 

[MacBH928]

Its nice to download your data,but what we want is to erase it completely.

By law, we should have the option to delete any specific or ALL our data completely off any database. Its my choice if I don't want to share it anymore. Also the sleazy ways of making it extra difficult for example having to go back and delete each comment you wrote or picture shared instead of having a "delete all" option won't cut it.

 

[Morris]

Thank God the European Union is a much bigger market than the USA and now we all benefit from their consumers friendly laws because we all know the US Congress would have never come out with something like the GDPR, not even close.

It's called the Brussels Effect. It's not just down to the size of the market, though. Otherwise regulations in a country such as India would also have a global effect.

It is also related to the level (quality and strictness) of the standard. If a company trades across many different markets it makes sense to make sure their products or services meet the standards of the toughest market. That way selling in the other markets is easy. It's a form of race to the top or highest common denominator.

 

[DakotaGuy]

My advice to anyone who is very concerned about this is 1) Get a flip phone and/or landline. 2) Get a TV antenna and only watch what is broadcasted. 3) Purchase only CDs and vinyl records in a store or listen to FM or AM radio. 4) Read paper newspapers and do your research at a library by only using books and a microfiche. 5) Buy a road atlas and disable all GPS functions if your flip phone has them. 6) Send paper letters and mail all bills at the post office.

There now your privacy is fully protected!

 

[DNichter]

Losing a lot of customers would be easy too..

[doublepost=1527081854][/doublepost]

Google also let you download the information they have about you too.

Apple shares your data with 'strategic partners'.

Yea that's totally fine. I just feel better with a company who's sole purpose is not data mining and advertising. It's just me though as I know a lot of people don't mind and see the value.
[doublepost=1527082527][/doublepost]

I agree with you but it's not like they are doing this out of the goodness of their heart...the GDPR demands it.

Well they have been pushing privacy and transparency for a while now, this is just something else (although yes, required). I am just happy to see them making privacy clearer and easier for people to understand.

 

[Jyby]

Science Rules!

 

[DNichter]

And at least Apple offers setting to...
"You have opted out from interest-based targeting in Apple News and the App Store. Information about your device's connectivity, time setting, type, language, and location..." (Privacy/Advertising)

Yup. I still think they can do more in this area. I am sure it will be a main focus for them in the coming years as companies that focus on data mining are more scrutinized.

 

[Andres Cantu]

It doesn’t even support Safari on iPhone:

 

[davidmartindale]

So they will let you delete your account but not merge and delete.... Thanks Apple? Can I undelete??

No you cannot undelete.
There are many reasons why most companies including Apple don’t let you merge accounts.

 

[WannaGoMac]

I've been reading some articles about the data dumps you can get recently. Just in terms of sheer volume, Apple had about 9MB of data on the person, Google had 243MB, and Facebook had 881MB. I've also seen articles from heavy Android and Chrome users where Google has over 9GB of data on them.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech...e-everything-had-me-heres-what-got/558362002/
https://www.theguardian.com/comment...l-the-data-facebook-google-has-on-you-privacy

The amount of stuff Google logs is incredibly creepy.

Not if you have your Google privacy settings correct Turn off all the search history, personalized ads, watch history, etc tracking plus switch to DuckDuckGo.

 

[digitalexplr]

So they will let you delete your account but not merge and delete.... Thanks Apple? Can I undelete??

If you could undelete it would mean your data was never really deleted.

 

[dk001]

If you could undelete it would mean your data was never really deleted.

But what does GDPR mean regarding “delete”? Reading some of the requirements it’s sounds like these entities still need your data in some form to be able to prove what they did / did not do with it.
[doublepost=1527086339][/doublepost]On an IPP, I have the option to Correct or Delete my data.
That’s all. The ability to change is already known as the screen shows ...

 

[gnasher729]

My (RIP) FaceBook account had about 625MB. *poof*. In "Correct Your Data", Country field is greyed out. Or was it always? Oh dear me.

Country field is tricky to change, because it has legal and other consequences. Like what country app store you will be connected to.

 

[lec0rsaire]

The reason Apple collects less data is because we already pay a good amount for their hardware and services while most people use FB and Google's services for "free." The situation with FB was to be expected as soon as they announced their IPO. Investors are not charities. They want as much ROI as possible.

 

[DNichter]

I've been reading some articles about the data dumps you can get recently. Just in terms of sheer volume, Apple had about 9MB of data on the person, Google had 243MB, and Facebook had 881MB. I've also seen articles from heavy Android and Chrome users where Google has over 9GB of data on them.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech...e-everything-had-me-heres-what-got/558362002/
https://www.theguardian.com/comment...l-the-data-facebook-google-has-on-you-privacy

The amount of stuff Google logs is incredibly creepy.

Well yea, that's their business. They wouldn't be a company without their users' data and advertising. It's the reason Android was created.

 

[RedGala]

What good the GDPR hath wrought. Definitely a move in the right direction in this age of digital transparency.

Although I'm uncertain as to why one would need to temporarily deactivate their account. It's not like a social media account.

I think that someone going into a risky country might suspend their account to avoid having checkpoint soldiers demand that the person pull out their phone and access certain info. Most information that an evil organization would want is on Facebook, but you never know. Apple has to have this feature either way, since the GDPR rules apply to all the tech companies.

 

[DNichter]

The reason Apple collects less data is because we already pay a good amount for their hardware and services while most people use FB and Google's services for "free." The situation with FB was to be expected as soon as they announced their IPO. Investors are not charities. They want as much ROI as possible.

Exactly, it's a business. Opt in or opt out. There is nothing necessarily wrong with Google or Facebook's approach here (although I find it creepy), it all comes down to the individual and what they personally value when it comes to this stuff. Free never means free and if you are good to give up your data for a service, so be it.

 

[trusso]

My advice to anyone who is very concerned about this is 1) Get a flip phone and/or landline. 2) Get a TV antenna and only watch what is broadcasted. 3) Purchase only CDs and vinyl records in a store or listen to FM or AM radio. 4) Read paper newspapers and do your research at a library by only using books and a microfiche. 5) Buy a road atlas and disable all GPS functions if your flip phone has them. 6) Send paper letters and mail all bills at the post office.

There now your privacy is fully protected!

I take it you're positing these steps somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but the fact of the matter is, these are all good methods for protecting one's privacy (though the resourceful investigator might still be able to piece together some of your offline tracks). Living in this manner would not be much different than how we lived as recently as the 1980s (and some of the older among us, I am sure, still live this way).

The implication, of course, is that all these attempted circumventions in the name of privacy are terribly inconvenient – but as a general rule, I fail to agree with that argument. I am inclined to believe that many of the individuals who live in such a manner would (and do) find themselves much the better for it. No longer bombarded by information overload from digital cable or the internet, writing letters and making phone calls only to the people who really matter to him/her, taking time to actually enjoy a book, album, or drive through town; in essence, living intentionally and being able to wink at such little faults that we all have, since he/she is at peace with one's self.

Rather than see such antiquated habits as an inconvenience, I think that many of us, once we have looked beyond the haze of propaganda in modern culture, would find it a "consummation devoutly to be wished."

 

[RobQuads]

But what does GDPR mean regarding “delete”? Reading some of the requirements it’s sounds like these entities still need your data in some form to be able to prove what they did / did not do with it.
[doublepost=1527086339][/doublepost]On an IPP, I have the option to Correct or Delete my data.
That’s all. The ability to change is already known as the screen shows ...
View attachment 762683 View attachment 762682

Delete does mean delete so that includes all history. As you say it would make it very very hard to prove that a company had given it to someone as they would have no evidence of this on their records.
If you could prove somehow you were registered and could prove that a company did get data from the company then you could make assumptions but it will make proving things a lot harder.