Also gives Apple AND users the opportunity to have more types of apps available safely in the App Store.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Says Revised U.S. Sideloading Bill Would 'Undermine the Privacy and Security Protections' iPhone Users Rely On
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Who’s forcing you to sideload anything?
Unless Apple decides to pull the apps
After China Objects, Apple Removes App Used By Hong Kong Protesters
HKmap.live has been used by pro-democracy activists to keep track of protests and police activity. Apple says it was removed from the App Store because it was being used to "endanger law enforcement."
www.npr.org
Apple says it is removing VPN services from China App Store
Apple Inc <AAPL.O> says it is removing virtual private network (VPN) services from its app store in China, drawing criticism from VPN service providers, who accuse the U.S. tech giant of bowing to pressure from Beijing cyber regulators.
Apple takes down several religious apps in China
Islam has faced a particularly hostile environment.
www.protocol.com
Oh FFS - it is calculating a hash which a) every cloud service does on every upload and b) is used for the same purpose and provided for free to all Cloudflare accounts for the same reason, except the fuzzy hashes are calculated on their servers instead of everything being done client-side.
Just do like the Mac and warn before side loading an app. You could even double secure it with a switch in settings to disallow side loaded apps at all. So you’d have to disable the switch, then you also get a warning when side loading. This puts it 100% into the consumer’s hands and takes Apple out of the picture. Apple could also disable certain APIs fro side loaded apps to keep it secure. Disallow a side loaded app from accessing Messages or Music or Contacts. That allows side loading while still maintaining a level of security. Could someone find a way to bypass that security? Sure. But that’s on the user, not Apple.
It does not matter. If the mechanism exists - even behind a user option - then it can be exploited to weaken security. I do not get why this is such a difficult concept for some people to grasp.
If the mechanism exists at all, it is a crack into which a crowbar can be inserted, whether you enable the option or not.
It’s common knowledge in IT that the weakest link is always the user. Nobody calls anyone morons. “Misinformed” or “uninformed” are better choices of words to describe this. Most people have no idea what digital privacy is.
Ask 20 people on the street if they care about their digital privacy. Most will say they have nothing to hide (as if only criminals require privacy) and the rest will say they care but won’t be long till you find out they don’t do anything about it.
Then ask people to explain how Google or Facebook make money. You would be hard pressed to find anyone who can properly explain how they make money. They may say “advertising”, which is the wrong answer anyway, but can’t elaborate exactly how they generate revenue and that is a big problem. Go ahead. Do some hands on small research and see the results yourself.
Considering the fact that you think this is a matter of being given a “choice“ makes me believe you don‘t have a good grasp at whats at stake here either. You are not a moron but but I do consider you being ill-advised.
Last edited:
That's why I refuse to use macOS. The ability to
Mmhm, smart comment. It’s that simple.
\s
Last edited:
Another guy who can't seem to grasp the forward dynamics of this problem.
Nobody is forcing you to side load today under the circumstances under which side loading does not exist, but the circumstances will be different when it becomes an option for developers. Major apps that thrive on harvesting user data won't offer their apps in the App Store where they can't exploit user data. That's fine until it's a Google app or another must have app that you're required for work or to fit in your social circle.
They should make an official "alt store" and name it "Dirt Mall". It can be the wild west version of the app store, completely uncurated and allowed to run amuck, except it will actually be part of a larger App Store sandbox so that it doesn't create unnecessary security risks to users who choose not to use it. Publishers in the "Dirt Mall" will be charged hosting and download fees a la other cloud services.
The option already exists. And Tim Cook even told you how to do it. It’s called buy a ****ing Android already and quite whining.
Just because the option exists in older versions of the OS does not mean it should be left in newer/different versions, or we would not have security patches.
I thought about it for 1 second…it is about maintaining privacy and security, the user having control over ones data.
This bill for side-loading is probably spurred by Google, Facebook, et al lobbyists. They need your data. Mark Zuckerberg needs more cash to buy the rest of the Hawaiian island he has a compound on.
For Apple users, apps should go through Apple. Say ?? or ??to side-loading.
This bill for side-loading is probably spurred by Google, Facebook, et al lobbyists. They need your data. Mark Zuckerberg needs more cash to buy the rest of the Hawaiian island he has a compound on.
For Apple users, apps should go through Apple. Say ?? or ??to side-loading.
do it. regulate and tear apple wide open.
Well if you sideload a very bad app, come to my house, get on my network because we are friends, get my systems hacked, you just forced my systems to sideload. The sad part you likely will not know why we are not friends anymore. This all about me attitude today is getting tiring. My rights, my world, my everything.
Senator Abuses Her Staff is probably getting her cues from certain interests that want this.
Wonder who those might be?
Wonder who those might be?
As soon as developers can offer side loaded iOS apps, they are going to flee the App Store.
In some cases it won’t even be possible to get an equivalent app from the App Store.
And apps outside the store will be able to piss on apple requirements like app transparency and a prominent delete account and information button.
I like her generally but Sen Klobuchar is so wrong in this it’s crazy. If her legislation passes, the average iPhone user will be put at significantly greater security and privacy risk.
Terrible terrible policy move. I have to question who she is serving with this bill because it seems like big tech and not the consumer. So disappointing.
In some cases it won’t even be possible to get an equivalent app from the App Store.
And apps outside the store will be able to piss on apple requirements like app transparency and a prominent delete account and information button.
I like her generally but Sen Klobuchar is so wrong in this it’s crazy. If her legislation passes, the average iPhone user will be put at significantly greater security and privacy risk.
Terrible terrible policy move. I have to question who she is serving with this bill because it seems like big tech and not the consumer. So disappointing.
Last edited:
Good point.
This is exactly why the Google Play store has been all but irrelevant for the last half decade at least. It’s become essentially impossible to find any Android app that doesn’t require sideloading in order to bypass Google’s policies.
See, someone else gets it. Just look at all those thousands of apps people are sideloading, stealing their data.
*Checks notes.* Oh wait… those apps come straight from the Play Store? And even Fortnight couldn’t convince people to sideload? Oops.
Last edited:
I have to do more than like this comment once. Perfectly articulated. ??
Really? So merely the option of being able to sideload can cause all these problems? Only a tiny fraction of Android users have ever sideloaded an app on their phone. It's disabled by default.
Your argument completely ignores highly likely 2nd and 3rd order effects that will harm consumers.
Once that door is opened, devs will flee the App Store to avoid apples fee and security and privacy rules.
The App Store will hollow out and in I expect most cases one won’t be able to get most apps from the App Store.
I’m not whining. I would be one of the users that wouldn’t want to use this feature.