Apple's Find My Is 'Super Creepy Surveillance Tech' That Shouldn't Exist, Says Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney

[MacRumors]

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney today commented on Apple's Find My service, referring to it as "super creepy surveillance tech" that "shouldn't exist."

Sweeney went on to explain that several years ago, "a kid" stole a Mac laptop out of his car. Years later, Sweeney was checking Find My, and as the Mac was still connected to his Apple ID account, it showed him the location where the thief lived.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1818249443449225726

Sweeney's take is curious, because providing the location of a lost or stolen device is exactly what the Find My service is meant to do. Apple devices remain tied to a user's account if not removed, a feature that is meant to thwart theft.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1818280387455410311

After confusion from his Twitter followers over his comments, Sweeney said that the location of a device in someone's possession can't be tracked without tracking the person, and "people have a right to privacy." He claims that detection and recovery of a lost or stolen device should be "mediated by due process of law" and not exposed to the device owner "in vigilante fashion."

When Sweeney saw how Find My worked, he said he turned off the feature on all of his devices.

While Apple's AirTag item trackers have been criticized for their use by stalkers, the Find My service has not been the target of similar complaints. Find My and Activation Lock have been important theft deterrents, cutting down on iPhone theft. Apple recently expanded Activation Lock to include iPhone components to prevent them from being disassembled for parts.

Article Link: Apple's Find My Is 'Super Creepy Surveillance Tech' That Shouldn't Exist, Says Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney

 

[Think|Different]

This guy continues to be insanely delusional. Wealth has seemingly only made him more. It's almost sad, he can't see past his blind rage (for a company) and says ridiculous stuff like this.

 

[breenmask]

Tim is against the one job Find My is supposed to do? LOL

 

[nikon1]

Sweeney seems to have a real red bottom over EVERYTHING Apple. Go back to whining, bozo!

 

[STOCK411]

Sweeney doth protest too much, methinks

 

[jz0309]

really?
Stupidity is a choice and some people abuse it - well done Sweeney!

Now, why do we really care about what he says?

 

[iLuddite]

I also have Find My turned off on all my devices hehe (don’t rob me)

 

[breenmask]

right to privacy? like the right to share my personal billing info with only one company I trust instead of being forced to go through third parties

 

[space220]

this guy 😭😭😭

 

[eno12]

Sweeney: "I know where my stolen laptop is! That is a bad thing." WTAF is wrong with this guy.

For second hand computers you should always ensure find my is disabled on it. IIRC it will have an activation lock on it if the original owner did not do this. Once disabled the original owner has no way to track you. There is no issue here.

 

[reallynotnick]

Tim Sweeney just like to bitch about Apple, this is a non-story. Clearly he has so much money he wasn't worried about a laptop being stolen for years. The rest of us would like to get our machines back.

 

[unobtainium]

He honestly sounds dense. There’s no right to privacy regarding the location of your stash of stolen goods 😂

 

[Kevin2055]

I can’t stop laughing, sorry

 

[Minato1990]

What a stupid trashbag. I hope Apple smacks him upside the head again.

 

[venom600]

I don’t like to use the word stupid, but that has got to be the stupidest thing I’ve read from a CEO not named Elon in a long time. That the concept of tracking HIS device is beyond him is proof that not everyone got their position on merit.

 

[thecodger]

Next let’s see his rant on LoJack! The premise that someone’s right to privacy extends past criminal activity, aside from due process is relatively mind boggling, especially because the victims right to property would supersede the criminals right to privacy as they are assuming the loss of privacy since the stolen property can be tracked. Similar to how you have no right to privacy in a public space. By being in a public space you are essentially giving up any potential right to privacy with regard to things you are visibly doing there.

 

[Minato1990]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1818323238377664951

 

[lordlugo]

Let it go Tim…..You’re always going to come last vs. Apple, Maybe if you stopped being greedy about apple’s 30% cut Fortnite would still be on the App Store generating billions and you won’t have had to lay your employees off!

 

[Jumpthesnark]

Up next, Sweeney says it's "super creepy" to report a break-in at your home or business, because thieves have a right to privacy.

 

[tekcor]

Why is this troll still using Apple products at all? He hates Apple, he hates everything Apple does... why is he using their products? Beyond that, I think the key takeaway here is that Tim Sweeney has so much money he considers Apple devices disposable, and he doesn't care if they are stolen, so... go steal from Tim Sweeney. He doesn't mind. He even just made it public he keeps the tracking features turned off.

 

[jbanning]

I have not responded to anything on “X“ in forever - I had to respond to this idiot. What is wrong with him??? He is just LOOKING on things to complain about that involves Apple - his hate is DEEP!

 

[sesnir]

This guy has such bad takes he should be writing headlines for NYT

 

[Elusi]

If true (probably not...) imagine a prolific CEO having a computer stolen, seemingly not have any lock because else the thief would stop charging the device, and then just let it access his iCloud for YEARS.

I know he owns the company he runs so he's safe I guess. A board would have him fired for being that stupid.

 

[theinsaneworld]

Tim is in a privileged position to be able to easily dismiss this.

My friends elderly mom had her phone stolen at a restaurant. He immediately locked it and was able to track the location to a hotel a 30 mins away from them - all using Find My. He was able to call the hotel and they were able to confirm that they had the phone in their possession.

If you either lose or have your device stolen, you are entitled to get your property back. Has nothing to do with due process as this isn’t a legal proceeding. You don’t want to get tracked? Don’t steal the device.

 

[Analog Kid]

Apparently he’s more worried about the thief's privacy than his own if he left a stolen laptop connected to his iCloud account for several years…

Maybe all the nonsense coming from Sweeney these past few years has actually been this other kid using his laptop?