Google Under Fire for Circumvention of Cookie Settings in Safari for iOS to Track Users

I like Disney. I like BMW. I like Ferrari. I like the Red Cross. I love Apple. I hate Enron.

Maybe it's just me, but seems like most people do have a like/love/hate relationship with companies, not just their products.

 

I agree, but it's more about brands. People love or hate brands. The brand itself starts to suffer when it's bombarded with negative publicity or one of it's products/services fails in some way.

Ok, back on topic...

 

And people don't realize that they are not the customer, but the product.

 

http://9to5mac.com/2012/02/17/google-reportedly-forcing-advertising-cookies-upon-iphone-users-regardless-of-safari-privacy-settings/

from the linked article :

"Stanford researcher Jonathan Mayer discovered that although mobile Safari’s default setting blocks cookies from third parties and advertisers, Google and advertising companies Media Innovation Group, Vibrant Media, and Gannett PointRoll fooled mobile Safari into thinking “a person was submitting an invisible form to Google,” letting them in turn install a tracking cookie on users’ iPhones and PCs without consent."

there are several articles around explaing this, including the one pertaining to this thread:

reading is FUNdamental...

 

And what should I do with that?

Do you understand it says - 'fooled'?

 

So you're ok with all of your address book information being uploaded to 3rd party vendors then? Because you're only addressing the Google issue when I clearly brought up two similar issues.

Personally - I would rather someone know what websites I've been to than all my my friends, family and business associates contact information, notes, birthdays, etc that are in my contact database. But hey - that's just me.

Personally - I'd prefer neither exist. But if I HAD to choose one problem - it would be website tracking over contact exploits.

 

I think that is me switching back to Firefox..

 

it also explains how Google "fooled" the browser. So who is guilty?

Apple for having a bug in their software?

Or Google for deliberately exploiting it?

 

It's really hard to debate here, you know...

Google fooled the browser circumventing privacy settings. No wonder Apple didn't fix the bug, but that doesn't give Google any rights to do anything.

Maybe its hard for you to understand. No problems.

 

Typical

As Google struggles to stay on top of the web, it's having trouble to do no evil. Just like Facebook, which in its effort to connect us all forgets to ask us if that's actually okay with us, Google thinks it has a license to fool around with our computers.

 

Bull. This is me talking, not an Apple fan. I respected Apple for putting that "no third party cookies" option in there. If it had a bug, or a way to override it, it is up to a reputable company to inform them, not violate the express wishes of the user. This is the tactics of a Russian hacker, not of a reputable company.

 

Of course there won't be any pushback or anything like that because it's Google and they are in bed w/ the government. Don't be a fool and think they aren't. Remember location tracking?? Of course because it was a bug in iOS our government stepped in and asked questions. But android tracks but there is not government intervention??? Seriously hypocritical.

 

You're confusing a security hole in a company's product that needs to be patched with some dirty shady company actually going around finding and exploiting security holes.

For example, Microsoft Windows for a long time has been called out for having security holes. Many people get on Microsoft to fix those holes and they eventually do. And nothing is ever completely without security holes. However, the real ire is directed at the dirty, sleazy, malware, trojan, and virus outfits that actually exploit the security holes that they find.

In this situation, Google inexplicably chose to put themselves in the situation of being on the level of a dirty, sleazy company that exploits security holes that they find. There is absolutely no excuse for that from a major company.

Having a security hole that you need to fix is one thing. Actively going around and exploiting security holes is something entirely different.

The only thing similar to this I have ever seen from a major company on this level is the infamous rootkit scandal involving Sony's CDs back in 2005.

This is absolutely disgraceful.

 

well said. The honest truth is some people don't mind being tracked by Google, or they just don't read the privacy agreements.

Google took it a step further and as you stated, used hacker tactics. Shame that some people will defend them.

Apparently your a "fanboy" if you don't like companies hijacking your browser

 

Google has Yahoos?

 

You can't just say, Google did something despicable, can you? It was Apple's policy that any software that even reads your contact information had to ask your permission. Some did not comply. While I'm not sure that it did any harm, the point is, we don't know. A good program, like Path or Instagram, did this; likely simply to be able to find a name quickly for us. But it was a major PR blunder at the very least. But this action by Google is far worse. We told the world, in the browser, that we wanted no third-party cookies. And Google employed hacking techniques to force them on us. Despicable. How much lasting harm? I don't know. You know bad guys can get a ton of information by just examining your cookies, your computer, etc., don't you? So the idea that it's not important is crap. And it was done, not by unethical hacker-thieves, but a supposedly reputable company.

 

I'm willing to bet - up to and including 5 cents - that while google uses bugs/loopholes in safari to do this, it's probably built from the ground up to work this way in Chrome.

 

I believe you're referring to Google. I must point out that Apple was aware of the bug.

 

yeah its crazy.

Chrome is a decent browser but its alarming when you realize how many opt out extensions you have to install to maintain privacy.

 

So tracking user privacy information is considered a "FEATURE" by Google and you?! How about you post your credit card number here so that you can have one more "FEATURE" in MacRumors?

 

Apple has a TOS. Many apps violated this TOS and yet were APPROVED to be put on APPLE'S AppStore. It wasn't a security hole. Apple was negligent.

So yes - they are different scenarios. But the end result is similar. I don't think either one is good (if you read my final comment in my last post.) But for me, personally (which I also stated) I would rather my browsing history be transmitted than my contact database.

I would also hope and expect that Apple adheres to the policies they set forth if they want to keep my trust. Just like people want to fault google for finding a work-around/exploit - people should be holding Apple responsible for not policing the very appstore which they praise as being safer than Androids.

Just like I wouldn't trust the restaurant grading system in NYC if they just gave out "A" ratings without actually inspecting the restaurant.

 

Remember when I said about hatred. This is it.

Apple doesn't voluntarily allow those apps. Yes, I blame Apple for all of that. That is why I use a curated store and Apple is definitely at fault but intermixing two different matters is just stupid. Apple didn't know anything like that.
Whereas Google knowingly circumvented privacy settings using a loophole in Apple software.

It's unbelievable how you're on an Apple board always criticising Apple and defending Google. I'm not asking you to defend Apple at all but so much criticism without reasoning is outrageous. Moreover, defending Google for such a horrible thing is... man I'll leave it to you.

 

That's what you should expect from a company that makes money by gathering user data.

For search, use DuckDuckGo.
If you want social, use Facebook, Twitter. Not Google Plus. Even better, don't use any.
For email, you have a plethora of options. Use them with your favorite mail application (Apple's Mail, Thunderbird, Sparrow...)

Just boycott Google.

 

I never trusted Google

Just see how they treat youtube users...

ANyway nobody wants to use G+, it got even worse once they started shutting off those pages the way they of on youtube. They tried to force G+ on everybody, and now this... I am going to move away from Gmail... it's just too much.

 

well said