Federal Lawsuit Filed Over Apple's Location Tracking in iOS [Updated]

say33d said:
Its the government that requires cell phone carriers and manufacturers to track their customers.....its just most people dont know when the law was passed.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/your-cellphone-has-been-tracking-you-for-nearly-a-decade.html

Apple or any of the others wont get in trouble when its the FCC that requires them to be able to track customers.
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Poor example, what you are referring to is a carrier requirement and at no point does the FCC require you to log the location for years. Furthermore it has a purpose, for 911 calls and has nothing to do with the MANUFACTURER of the phone but rather the CARRIERS.

What purpose does apple have for it?

Edit: Upon further inspection the writer is clearly not neutral on the subject, and an idiot at that. He is talking about GPS which has nothing to do with storage of locations for YEARS LOCALLY unsecured on a computer.
 
These two guys need to trade their Apple products for a clamshell phone and a playbook since neither has a GPS.
Is there any smart phone today that doesn't record location data these days?
I suspect that RIM and Google know where each unit has been since they started selling phones.
For me, this is a non-issue as I could care less if anyone can see where my phone has travelled. Personally, Find My iPhone (unrelated) has been invaluable on a couple of occasions. TV remotes and portable handheld phones in my home could use a dose of tracking.
 
nvbrit said:
no you are wrong.. APPLE is NOT collecting location data when locations services are turned off, it is only your phone that is continuing to collect this data, it is not sent anywhere.
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OK, then Apple is having the iPhone collect location data when location services is off. Can we agree to that?
 
Getting a taste of their own medicine. Nothing like dealing with people who are quick to sue. You live by the sword, you die by the sword. Logical.
 
marksman said:
Please don't quote Gizmodo. Especially in a situation like this.
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Good one ... this 'blog' lost every creditability, they are so pissed at Apple that they use every chance to bash Apple (even so it was Gizmodo doing the illegal stuff) - but there posts make a good amusing read.
 
nvbrit said:
if for some reason this file is used to cache data that could be sent to Apple, you already agreed to it. This is Apple's privacy policy regarding location-based services...

Location-Based Services

To provide location-based services on Apple products, Apple and our partners and licensees may collect, use, and share precise location data, including the real-time geographic location of your Apple computer or device. This location data is collected anonymously in a form that does not personally identify you and is used by Apple and our partners and licensees to provide and improve location-based products and services. For example, we may share geographic location with application providers when you opt in to their location services.​
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I thought jobs stated they are not tracking users. But according to the statement above, they are collecting the data. So, is this file being uploaded to apple or not? Come on apple, TELL US THE TRUTH!
 
I love Apple and although I don't Apple will loose this I appreciate that people stand up for the interests.
 
nvbrit said:
no you are wrong.. APPLE is NOT collecting location data when locations services are turned off, it is only your phone that is continuing to collect this data, it is not sent anywhere.
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Full of Win said:
OK, then Apple is having the iPhone collect location data when location services is off. Can we agree to that?
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yes i agree that apple programmed the iphone to collect the location data when location services are off, and store this locally on your phone which is completely harmless.
 
Popeye206 said:
And so is AT&T and Verizon.

Point being, own a cell phone, someone is tracking you and it's being recorded.
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own whatever gadget that is connected to the internet or cell towers and you are tracked - does not matter if it is your phone, your computer, your car, your whatever - it does not matter which company makes the gadget or which provider provides the service - one ore more institution will track you along the way ... if you want to avoid being tracked, go offline or buy something prepaid (in cash) - it's a fact of modern life.
 
This whole tracking thing is garbage. People have to know that they are being tracked. I'm sure cell phone companies are already doing it...and they should to know where their customers go to maximize the system performance. If the phone solely stores data and it isn't being used, then there's no harm. This is like your computer recording your web traffic history. You can delete it if you want...or keep it
 
Well, it's true... Apple *is* collecting and storing this information... this action really shouldn't be a surprise.

Apple apologists unite!
 
This is about adequate communication to the consumer and providing options. Nothing more - nothing less.

If the data is harmless - there's no reason it can't be deleted/purged/encrypted/etc whenever I want - and easily without having to "hack" into hidden directories or whatnot.

That really the core of the issue here
 
nvbrit said:
yes i agree that apple programmed the iphone to collect the location data when location services are off, and store this locally on your phone which is completely harmless.
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And also store this on your computer indefinitely where they can access it at will any time they want.
 
The lawsuit should be dismissed as it has no merit. The attorney's allege that since we have a constitutional right from unlawful searches and seizures that we should be protected from Apple collecting the location data from our phones.

We DO have a constitutional right from unlawful searches and seizures and the attorneys ARE correct in that the GOVERNMENT needs to obtain a search warrant from the courts before they can access the information stored in our phones.

However, the US Constitution does NOT protect you from searches and seizures from APPLE! or any other private business. If you don't like the business practice then you are free to terminate your business with the company (and I don't want to hear anyone cry "I can't terminate my contract...I have a year left!" BS! you can terminate your contract ANYTIME you want, just pay whatever "service charge" applies...you were still able to terminate the contract.

This actually happens more often than you think: without naming names certain freight companies routinely open and search suspicious packages, if they find illegal contents (drugs) then the government is often contacted.

The attorneys that filed suit against Apple must be fresh out of law school because this is an old fight that has been clearly decided in the courts.

Nothing new here....
 
samcraig said:
This is about adequate communication to the consumer and providing options. Nothing more - nothing less.

If the data is harmless - there's no reason it can't be deleted/purged/encrypted/etc whenever I want - and easily without having to "hack" into hidden directories or whatnot.

That really the core of the issue here
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That may be the core of the issue to you, but not those bringing forth the lawsuit. Not when their lawyers say, "Apple is now basically tracking people everywhere they go..." That's outright untrue - Apple isn't tracking you. They don't access this information and it remains private.

I agree that Apple should elaborate on the issue and offer users an option as to its collection.
 
DanHolderman said:
The lawsuit should be dismissed as it has no merit. The attorney's allege that since we have a constitutional right from unlawful searches and seizures that we should be protected from Apple collecting the location data from our phones.

We DO have a constitutional right from unlawful searches and seizures and the attorneys ARE correct in that the GOVERNMENT needs to obtain a search warrant from the courts before they can access the information stored in our phones.

However, the US Constitution does NOT protect you from searches and seizures from APPLE! or any other private business. If you don't like the business practice then you are free to terminate your business with the company (and I don't want to hear anyone cry "I can't terminate my contract...I have a year left!" BS! you can terminate your contract ANYTIME you want, just pay whatever "service charge" applies...you were still able to terminate the contract.

This actually happens more often than you think: without naming names certain freight companies routinely open and search suspicious packages, if they find illegal contents (drugs) then the government is often contacted.

The attorneys that filed suit against Apple must be fresh out of law school because this is an old fight that has been clearly decided in the courts.

Nothing new here....
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Should not Apple then pay termination charges (just as they paid for bumpers because iPhone antenna did not work properly)?
 
hobo.hopkins said:
That may be the core of the issue to you, but not those bringing forth the lawsuit. Not when their lawyers say, "Apple is now basically tracking people everywhere they go..." That's outright untrue - Apple isn't tracking you. They don't access this information and it remains private.

I agree that Apple should elaborate on the issue and offer users an option as to its collection.
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I'm not arguing either way on this - but to some it's a question of semantics. It is correct to say Apple is not tracking you. The semantic liability here is that people are equating Apple and Apple's device.

The iPhone is tracking "you." A distinction most can make when pointed out - but many a layperson would use either interchangeably. Not me (I love semantics) - but many would just equate Apple and iPhone as the same in this scenario which is why all the soapboxing
 
say33d said:
Its the government that requires cell phone carriers and manufacturers to track their customers.....its just most people dont know when the law was passed.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/your-cellphone-has-been-tracking-you-for-nearly-a-decade.html
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That article is full of mistakes. For one thing, GPS was not required.

The E911 mandate to locate cell phones applies only in the case of an emergency call to 911. Otherwise, the carriers do not track your exact location.
 
samcraig said:
I'm not arguing either way on this - but to some it's a question of semantics. It is correct to say Apple is not tracking you. The semantic liability here is that people are equating Apple and Apple's device.

The iPhone is tracking "you." A distinction most can make when pointed out - but many a layperson would use either interchangeably. Not me (I love semantics) - but many would just equate Apple and iPhone as the same in this scenario which is why all the soapboxing
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Actually, I am not sure it's just semantics. Apple does store location data (even for times when LS were supposedly turned off) on your phone and computer where they can access it any time they want (they might simply decide that current license agreement covers it anyways and just do it). iPhone owners have no protection against this scenario.
 
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