Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Named in Class Action Lawsuit Over Carrier IQ Privacy Issues

baryon said:
What's the point of this crappy Carrier IQ? And why was it kept a secret?
Click to expand...
As far as Apple is concerned they licensed a third party technology to monitor and diagnose troubles with cell reception. They collected anonymous data so they independently from the carriers could monitor how good their phones were. This is why Apple _knows_ that "antenna gate" was a technological nonissue since they had _facts_ backing their claims up, as opposed to all others, claiming the opposite.
Apple probably could've conjured up this technology themselves but why bother when there was a readily available product that met their requirements.

I can assure you that there are several other logging and diagnose systems in place in iOS, and in Mac OS X. As are there in all other operating systems. Those who report back are option most of the time, as in Apples case, and most doesn't seem to care as this is a good thing for quality control of any software product. I see absolutely no reason for Apple to disclose the nature of these types of components in the operating system IF what they claim is correct in regards to what they collected, that it was anonymous and that it is indeed opt-in.
 
Peace said:
Where...Have...You...Been ?

Android is the biggest offender in this.
Click to expand...

Why would Android be a bigger offender than say, Apple?

Just because there are/were hundreds of Android devices vs. only a handful of iPhones?
 
Rocketman said:
For those that didn't read the original article, this utility appears to capture keystrokes by bypassing the software stack and thus the encryption, and sends those keystrokes unencryped to the vendor. This means passwords and private information is sent. Unencryped.
Click to expand...
Nothing of this, absolutely zero, is in regard to Apple's use of Carrier IQ technology.
They didn't collect keystrokes, they didn't bypass any encryption, they sent it only to them selves, in an anonymous and encrypted fashion. They told the end user that they did this and the functionality is turned off if the end user didn't agree to it.
 
Henriok said:
So do you think that Verizon doesn't monitor their customers at all or are you content that they just isn't using Carrier IQ to do so?

----------


Because Apple didn't violate any privacy and it was opt-in.
Click to expand...

Could you link me an article in which Apple allowed this to be knowingly opted in? Because everything I have read has stated that Carrier IQ has been running in the background without customer's consent or knowledge on any platform.

Again, lumping this in with a million page T&C required just to operate the phone in my opinion doesn't constitute "opting in".
 
Here in Brazil, legislators are trying for years to approve laws for fixed broadband providers keeping track of user's navigation. Logs should be stored for a period of about a year. CarrierIQ, carriers and manufacturers would have just bypassed legal regulation if it would've happened here.
 
TWSS37 said:
Why would Android be a bigger offender than say, Apple?

Just because there are/were hundreds of Android devices vs. only a handful of iPhones?
Click to expand...

Read the damn article ? First paragraph after the quote ?
 
Henriok said:
So do you think that Verizon doesn't monitor their customers at all or are you content that they just isn't using Carrier IQ to do so?
Click to expand...

Irrelevant if Verizon tracks or not, my answer was why Verizon is not named in the suit and the reason is because they don't install Carrier IQ
 
Menopause said:
Read the damn article ? First paragraph after the quote ?
Click to expand...

Because of THIS???

While it appears that the version of Carrier IQ's software installed on iOS devices is much less capable than that found on Android devices

Come on. Get your head out of the iCloud.
 
So it appears people want it both ways: they want their carrier's network to function perfectly all the time but they don't want anything on their phone that enables the carrier to improve their network's performance and reliability.

I'm not saying they won't uncover a flaw or vulnerability in the methods used by the carriers or in Carrier IQ's software, but I'm still not convinced there's anything nefarious going on here.
 
Henriok said:
Nothing of this, absolutely zero, is in regard to Apple's use of Carrier IQ technology.
They didn't collect keystrokes, they didn't bypass any encryption, they sent it only to them selves, in an anonymous and encrypted fashion. They told the end user that they did this and the functionality is turned off if the end user didn't agree to it.
Click to expand...
Based on the article I read you are correct this is not an Apple issue but an Android, and carrier issue who uses that OS. The message I posted in the prior thread on this issue points this out.

This one goes beyond the first and discusses the possible downsides if the claims against Android are correct.

I predicted this might result in a wide shift to iOS devices for security conscious consumers.

Rocketman
 
NoNothing said:
I know, it is horrible. Just think, your cell carrier now knows who you called and when. The nerve of them... wait...
Click to expand...

Don't know about iOS but on Android he also knows which pages you opened in your browser. Even wen using https.

But best thing is: Carrier IQ wrote it all the the logcat logger. Which means that any application with READ_LOGS privilege (Which for example Amazon likes to have) knows it all as well.

And yes that is a good reason not to install Apps with READ_LOGS privilege.
 
I'd be fine with software like Carrier IQ being placed on phones as long as a message is displayed during initial setup that says something like:
"Do you want every action ever performed on the phone, including email, text messages and internet browsing to be recorded and sent back to Company for diagnostics purposes? YES or NO"

But no, these companies would rather bury that kind of stuff into some disclaimer that nobody ever reads.

I know of some software out there that asks you during setup if you want to send information back, and many times it defaults to "No, do not participate".
 
TWSS37 said:
The only thing I am unclear on by this is while Verizon doesn't, Motorola was named. So did Moto load this on their Droid phones used by Verizon? Why would Verizon need to load this if their top manufacturers already were?

(This isn't me attacking your comment, this is me seriously wondering aloud.)
Click to expand...

Verizon does not use it - MOTOROLA sold phones on the AT&T network that did have it by AT&T request
 
Why only Apple? Shouldn't they go after all the carriers and all handset makers including Google, Samsung, HTC, Blackberry, Nokia, Sony, etc???
 
vartanarsen said:
people want iPhones with GPS's, but then complain about being tracked:confused::confused::confused:
Click to expand...

People can be tracked by any cell phone, with service. It doesn't need a GPS installed. Regardless, I don't think it is a matter of being "tracked", rather a matter of private information being recorded and sent. This would include anything ever entered into the phone, such user names and passwords for websites, credit card numbers, text messages and emails.
 
Android itself is innocent

Peace said:
Android is the biggest offender in this.
Click to expand...

The Android version from Carrier IQ software perhaps.

But Android itself is completely innocent. The Software is not part of the OS itself and not every Android device comes with Carrier IQ installed.

For example the Nexus series where Google itself controls the OS comes without Carrier IQ.

Sora said:
Why only Apple? Shouldn't they go after all the carriers and all handset makers including Google, Samsung, HTC, Blackberry, Nokia, Sony, etc???
Click to expand...

Excluding Google. So called “Google experience” phones and tablets come without Carrier IQ
 
Last edited:
Rocketman said:
Based on the article I read you are correct this is not an Apple issue but an Android, and carrier issue who uses that OS. The message I posted in the prior thread on this issue points this out.

This one goes beyond the first and discusses the possible downsides if the claims against Android are correct.

I predicted this might result in a wide shift to iOS devices for security conscious consumers.

Rocketman
Click to expand...

No, is not an Android issue, is a carrier issue.

----------
krischik said:
The Android version from Carrier IQ software perhaps.

But Android itself is completely innocent. The Software is not part of the OS itself and not every Android device comes with Carrier IQ installed.
Click to expand...

Only Android devices from some US carriers have it installed.
 
What really makes me angry about this is their attitude that "we only collect general statistics and nothing spcific about individual users is kept" or something similar. People will defend this as much ado about nothing, others keep even more tracking about you, its all anonymous, etc.

But what these companies don't understand is, I don't want you to track ANY information about me, anonymous or not. I do not give you permission. Period.
 
Did you read the notices when you activate your iPhone?

TWSS37 said:
Could you link me an article in which Apple allowed this to be knowingly opted in? Because everything I have read has stated that Carrier IQ has been running in the background without customer's consent or knowledge on any platform.

Again, lumping this in with a million page T&C required just to operate the phone in my opinion doesn't constitute "opting in".
Click to expand...

It was very clear that Apple was collecting diagnostic data in an anonymous method and you had the option to opt out. There is no "article" to read. Just read the data presented to you when you activated your iPhone.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back