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Federal Lawsuit Filed Over Apple's Location Tracking in iOS [Updated]
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Once they have done something they have tracked you. Until that point they haven't and aren't tracking you. Mozilla isn't spying on every website I visit although theoretically sometime in the future they could change their policies and examine everything I do in Firefox. Until that point they haven't been spying, just as Apple isn't tracking anyone or anything.
Holy crap! Also hidden in your Library folder (I'm assuming you're on a mac) are all of your flash files too! They were downloaded and hidden by Adobe, without permission! Even while you private browse! You'd better delete them too, in case your wife sees those too! And oh for goodness sakes when I plug my external monitor in all of its information is stored too! Even the wallpaper and resolution (without my permission).
I kind of like location service logs on my phone, so that I can go back if I need evidence for something. It's a double edged sword that you wield. The only way someone else will see your sword is if you give them it...
Wrong again...
Your tax dollars at not at work here. Get a clue dude. This is a private legal challenge seeking $ from apple. The attorney's involved are paid by their clients.
Seriously, turn your brain on.
Your tax dollars at not at work here. Get a clue dude. This is a private legal challenge seeking $ from apple. The attorney's involved are paid by their clients.
Seriously, turn your brain on.
More of my tax dollars hard at work.
I think this is a little bigger than just Apple here its just that they were caught first. A Phone/device cannot track your every moment and record it unless you specifically tell it that you want to. Its totally 1984
evolve already....
Please familiarize yourself with how location services work first. Apple at no point had this information. It was solely on your computer and your phone. If you want, go delete the file and problem solved.
Please familiarize yourself with how location services work first. Apple at no point had this information. It was solely on your computer and your phone. If you want, go delete the file and problem solved.
Umm where are you getting that from? The location file is on my phone and in my back-up on my Mac. The data does not go back to Apple nor is it read by Apple.
There is no evidence that Apple does this or intends to do this. Now you're just making stuff up. More FUD.
Granted this file should be encrypted, but that's the only problem that I have with this. It has been terribly overblown. Haters gonna hate.
I'd been questioning Google about revealing data to their advertisers first since that is what their business model is built on.
And maybe you will find that this practice is also about to end.
Face it. More things are getting encrypted. Not less.
Money hungry ambulance chasers, what damages did they suffer? Cell phone companies have been doing similar stuff and Googles been doing it as well.
What's the big deal, are some people afraid someone's going to find out their life is not so exciting, or Apple will call their wife's to tell them Johnny wasn't where he was suppose to be? Give me a ****ing break, more *******s with to much time on their hands trying to discredit Apple! This is just another weak attempt from paranoid freaks to give Apple bad press!!!
I'm sure our life's our not so exciting, that they are reporting us to national security. And if their is something that's worth letting Homeland Security know, god bless America!!!
What's the big deal, are some people afraid someone's going to find out their life is not so exciting, or Apple will call their wife's to tell them Johnny wasn't where he was suppose to be? Give me a ****ing break, more *******s with to much time on their hands trying to discredit Apple! This is just another weak attempt from paranoid freaks to give Apple bad press!!!
I'm sure our life's our not so exciting, that they are reporting us to national security. And if their is something that's worth letting Homeland Security know, god bless America!!!
So... since the data is unencrypted. And backed up on your computer. Is stealing your phone really the only way to access that information?
Lemme see:
- The psycho Genius dude at the apple store.
- Your crazy spouse/girlfriend that is divorcing/leaving you. You know the one that took the backup drive on her way out the door.
- The wacko dude at work. You know that time you left the phone at the office for the night.
- The guy that found your phone the time you left it at the bar (but no one would ever leave an iPhone at a bar).
- ...
Personally I don't care (at this moment in time). I have nothing to "hide" per se and don't feel violated.
But to be honest - it's an unnerving precedent and road ahead if the attitude remains "Who cares?" and statements like you're being tracked all the time what's the big deal.
It's an apathy that could, in the future do more harm than good. Now it may seem like no big deal - but that's not always going to be true. And will it be too late "then?"
As for privacy issues - it's a big deal. Did you know that if you bought a home that pretty much anyone with your name and city can get your exact address? Not through the phone book or snooping sites. But from sites that report real estate transaction. And that info includes who your mortgage is through, address, and many other "private" matters.
There are also a lot of search sites that can spit back to people a lot of information you might not want shared. And trying to track down all these places (which you may or may not know have the info) to remove it is nearly impossible.
Identity theft is a HUGE issue and liability. Sure - perhaps these tracking numbers - and anonymous at that - aren't to blame. But it's also possible that it's a symptom which needs to be addressed BEFORE it's an actual issue.
That's all. And my .02
But to be honest - it's an unnerving precedent and road ahead if the attitude remains "Who cares?" and statements like you're being tracked all the time what's the big deal.
It's an apathy that could, in the future do more harm than good. Now it may seem like no big deal - but that's not always going to be true. And will it be too late "then?"
As for privacy issues - it's a big deal. Did you know that if you bought a home that pretty much anyone with your name and city can get your exact address? Not through the phone book or snooping sites. But from sites that report real estate transaction. And that info includes who your mortgage is through, address, and many other "private" matters.
There are also a lot of search sites that can spit back to people a lot of information you might not want shared. And trying to track down all these places (which you may or may not know have the info) to remove it is nearly impossible.
Identity theft is a HUGE issue and liability. Sure - perhaps these tracking numbers - and anonymous at that - aren't to blame. But it's also possible that it's a symptom which needs to be addressed BEFORE it's an actual issue.
That's all. And my .02
I really could care less if Apple knows where I am and keeps a record of it... Does it affect my life in any way? Not really. Unless I want to rape someone, kill someone, traffic drugs, smuggle immigrants or cheat on my girlfriend... I could really care less if anyone knows where I'm at. Most people have already posted where they're going on facebook anyways and will post again when they get there. Everyone acts like there's a super villain hiding out in a cave reading a print out just waiting for you to show up at Wal-Mart... that's when they're gonna get you!
I suppose you could always buy two iPhones, send them in different directions and REALLY mess with their heads!
I suppose you could always buy two iPhones, send them in different directions and REALLY mess with their heads!
Very true. Good point.
As far as I'm concerned, I can password protect my phone to solve that. I'd be more worried about someone getting the names, addresses and phone numbers of my family and friends than I am about someone knowing where I go for a coffee.
You also don't need an ID or proof of address to go to the Post Office and do a change of address... You can change anyone's mail to a different address at any time as long as you have name and previous address.
There are much worse issues I think than my phone log and location info being stored by people who really don't care...
Read it again. It has to do with cookies and web beacons and the like. It is unrelated to location-based services. I just checked it myself to verify.
For the sake of the debate, let's say that happens. All of it, plus 2 more you didn't think of. These 6 people get together with your iPhone (which you also forgot to send the delete command to after finding it missing), root it, pull the file off (ignoring your actual data, Safari cache, and other incriminating prefs for various apps, which already has more info about you in it than this file), decode the file into actual coordinates and times using software that no doubt these geniuses wrote themselves, and semi-track your location over the last month using the sporadic cell tower and wifi references contained in this file. (remember, 2 of them already know where you work)
Then what do they do? Choose a different coffee shop for tomorrow based on the ones you've been to? Find a better/worse clothing store to shop at? Slowly learn traffic patterns from your habits to speed up their commute? Stand on a street corner that you might frequent to...idk, give the phone back?
I mean, I guess if you are a hitman for the local chapter of [insert least favorite ethnic group here] bangers, then maybe you don't want anybody to know where you've been...but I don't care if you get caught, then. And besides, you'll probably have found them first and taken all 6 out before they figure out what to do with the data.
What constitutes tracking? Collecting the data in a file locally on the device or actually sending it somewhere?
Can MR please add a huge bold sentence at the top of the article that says the location data is stored NOT transmitted to Apple. Seems half people here are moaning about Apple TRACKING THEIR IMPORTANT ASS when they aren't.
The phone is LOGGING locations in its locally. This like you taking a picture of yourself naked but complaining someone at Apple's seen it.
The phone is LOGGING locations in its locally. This like you taking a picture of yourself naked but complaining someone at Apple's seen it.
I think that's actually the issue that could/would be discussed and quantified if a suit goes before a judge.
Have you read the thread - or just jumped around. I'm guessing you've just jumped around since what you posted is also on the first or second page of this thread.
In other words - instead of injecting some "truth" in your "I'm so clever" manner - you should realize that's not the discussion at current.
It's just a little creepy.
I'm kinda siding with users on this one. Apple has no need to save this info, regardless of how vague it might be. I don't know.
I'm kinda siding with users on this one. Apple has no need to save this info, regardless of how vague it might be. I don't know.
I was a little alarmed by the stories about this tracking database until I ran the program itself and saw the results. It's just showing the towers you've connected to. I've seen and heard many people assume that it's actually tracking exact movements and locations, but it's not.
Look, here's where it shows I've been in my hometown for the last year:
And yes, I'm so anal-retentive that I make sure all my frequented locations are arranged in as perfect a grid as I can manage.
BTW, that's NOT to let Apple off the hook. I think they effed up here and it needs to be removed. But the point is, a lot of alarmist crap has been written/assumed about this thing.
Look, here's where it shows I've been in my hometown for the last year:
And yes, I'm so anal-retentive that I make sure all my frequented locations are arranged in as perfect a grid as I can manage.
BTW, that's NOT to let Apple off the hook. I think they effed up here and it needs to be removed. But the point is, a lot of alarmist crap has been written/assumed about this thing.
There you go. Thanks for making this story a quick read by posting that; it would seem it might have more to do with remembering extra details about 'preferred' WAPs? & The data isnt sent to Apple? Rumors spread quick when your headed to #1 in market cap.I was a little alarmed by the stories about this tracking database until I ran the program itself and saw the results. It's just showing the towers you've connected to. I've seen and heard many people assume that it's actually tracking exact movements and locations, but it's not.
Look, here's where it shows I've been in my hometown for the last year:
Image
And yes, I'm so anal-retentive that I make sure all my frequented locations are arranged in as perfect a grid as I can manage.
BTW, that's NOT to let Apple off the hook. I think they effed up here and it needs to be removed. But the point is, a lot of alarmist crap has been written/assumed about this thing.
