Tell kdarling, he seem to know a different reality.....
I think you failed to read closely, and totally missed the point:
Cook likes to list things they don't do. Fine, but he never lists information that they are known to collect. That's being intentionally deceptive. He wrote:
"
Our business model is very straightforward: We sell great products. We don’t build a profile based on your email content or web browsing habits to sell to advertisers. We don’t “monetize” the information you store on your iPhone or in iCloud. And we don’t read your email or your messages to get information to market to you. Our software and services are designed to make our devices better. Plain and simple."
A non-deceptive version of that might be:
"Our business model includes accepting billions from Google, so that Google could be first in line to monetize your searches, while we acted like our hands were clean. We ourselves build a profile on you from everything you do via iTunes/App Store registrations and purchases. We then monetize that information by selling anonymous ad slots, exactly the same as Google does. While we don't automatically scan your email to better customize our ad offerings or give you cool stuff like Google Now, we have been known to scan it for censorship reasons. We also reserve the right to disclose anything you have stored with us, if the government asks, or if we think you're doing something wrong. Just wanted to be open about it all, plain and simple."
--------------------------------------------------
Interesting excerpts from Apple's iCloud and Privacy terms:
--- Apple can disclose personal information:
"It may be necessary - by law, legal process, litigation, and/or requests from public and governmental authorities within or outside your country of residence - for Apple to disclose your personal information. We may also disclose information about you if we determine that for purposes of national security, law enforcement, or other issues of public importance, disclosure is necessary or appropriate."
"You acknowledge and agree that Apple may, without liability to you, access, use, preserve and/or disclose your Account information and Content to law enforcement authorities, government officials, and/or a third party, as Apple believes is reasonably necessary or appropriate, if legally required to do so or if Apple has a good faith belief that such access, use, disclosure, or preservation is reasonably necessary to: (a) comply with legal process or request; (b) enforce this Agreement, including investigation of any potential violation thereof; (c) detect, prevent or otherwise address security, fraud or technical issues; or (d) protect the rights, property or safety of Apple, its users, a third party, or the public as required or permitted by law."
-- Apple can screen content on iCloud:
"Apple reserves the right at all times to determine whether Content is appropriate and in compliance with this Agreement, and may pre-screen, move, refuse, modify and/or remove Content at any time, without prior notice and in its sole discretion, if such Content is found to be in violation of this Agreement or is otherwise objectionable."
-- Apple tracks clicks from their emails to determine interests:
"In some of our email messages, we use a “click-through URL” linked to content on the Apple website. When customers click one of these URLs, they pass through a separate web server before arriving at the destination page on our website. We track this click-through data to help us determine interest in particular topics and measure the effectiveness of our customer communications. If you prefer not to be tracked in this way, you should not click text or graphic links in the email messages."
- Apple collects information and can share it with others:
"We may collect information such as occupation, language, zip code, area code, unique device identifier, referrer URL, location, and the time zone where an Apple product is used so that we can better understand customer behavior and improve our products, services, and advertising."
...
"At times Apple may make certain personal information available to strategic partners that work with Apple to provide products and services, or that help Apple market to customers."
...
"Additionally, in the event of a reorganization, merger, or sale we may transfer any and all personal information we collect to the relevant third party."
Apple isn't a charity institution for sure, but they don't behave like Google...
Google is no angel, but their business model is well known, and they give excellent services to everyone in return for targeted ads. Like Apple, they do not sell personal information. Unlike Apple, Google offers a dashboard where you can at least see what targeted slots they have put you in, and even allows you to edit them.
One thing I would change about Google is that I think the GMail scanning should be optional, or at least you should be able to pay for a more private version without ads at all. That's where I agree with you that paying should be an option, same as it is here in MacRumors forums.
