Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
International User Accounts Swept Up in Chinese iCloud Data Migration [Updated]
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I actually think this is good. Apparently one could still live in China but as long as their device settings say otherwise, their iCloud account will stay outside China. I have plenty of foreign friends whose phone are set up as if they live in the US due to certain apps not being offered outside the United States. They seem to have no issues. It’s almost like Apple implement this as a loophole. I wonder if they did that on purpose.
Apple's announcement on Wednesday that its iCloud services in mainland China will be handed over to a Chinese company has already run into controversy, after it emerged that accounts registered overseas are being swept up in the migration.
Apple said yesterday that customers based in China had been contacted and advised to examine new terms and conditions, which include a clause that both Apple and the Chinese firm will have access to all data stored on iCloud servers, which will be transferred from February 28. Customers living in mainland China who did not want to use iCloud operated by GCBD had been given the option to terminate their account.
However, according to some users who spoke to TechCrunch, in the data to be handled by local partner Guizhou-Cloud Big Data (GCBD), Apple is including iCloud accounts that were opened in the U.S., are paid for using U.S. dollars, and/or are connected to U.S.-based App Store accounts.
When asked for comment, Apple pointed to its terms and conditions site, which explains that it is migrating iCloud accounts based on the settings of the user's device, not where an iCloud account is registered or billed to.
As it stands, this could result in thousands of users temporarily living in China to study or work having their data migrated to servers under the control of GCBD, which is owned by the Guizhou provincial government in southern China.
The situation is said to have left many users feeling trapped into the migration, but one user has discovered an apparent opt-out. This involves switching an iCloud account back to China before signing out of all devices. The user then switches their iPhone and iCloud settings to the U.S., and after signing back into iCloud, their account should no longer be part of the migration.
"What will Apple do when the Chinese authorities request a backdoor to access data that is encrypted?" Charlie Smith, founder of censorship monitoring site Great Fire, told TechCrunch. "Will they continue to adhere to local laws and regulations and submit to the request? Or are they leaving this decision squarely in the hands of GCBD, their local partner?"
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Article Link: International User Accounts Swept Up in Chinese iCloud Data Migration
Apple is all about protecting our privacy. That's why I prefer them to Google.
/s
Apple's announcement on Wednesday that its iCloud services in mainland China will be handed over to a Chinese company has already run into controversy, after it emerged that accounts registered overseas are being swept up in the migration.
Apple said yesterday that customers based in China had been contacted and advised to examine new terms and conditions, which include a clause that both Apple and the Chinese firm will have access to all data stored on iCloud servers, which will be transferred from February 28. Customers living in mainland China who did not want to use iCloud operated by GCBD had been given the option to terminate their account.
However, according to some users who spoke to TechCrunch, in the data to be handled by local partner Guizhou-Cloud Big Data (GCBD), Apple is including iCloud accounts that were opened in the U.S., are paid for using U.S. dollars, and/or are connected to U.S.-based App Store accounts.
When asked for comment, Apple pointed to its terms and conditions site, which explains that it is migrating iCloud accounts based on the settings of the user's device, not where an iCloud account is registered or billed to.
As it stands, this could result in thousands of users temporarily living in China to study or work having their data migrated to servers under the control of GCBD, which is owned by the Guizhou provincial government in southern China.
The situation is said to have left many users feeling trapped into the migration, but one user has discovered an apparent opt-out. This involves switching an iCloud account back to China before signing out of all devices. The user then switches their iPhone and iCloud settings to the U.S., and after signing back into iCloud, their account should no longer be part of the migration.
"What will Apple do when the Chinese authorities request a backdoor to access data that is encrypted?" Charlie Smith, founder of censorship monitoring site Great Fire, told TechCrunch. "Will they continue to adhere to local laws and regulations and submit to the request? Or are they leaving this decision squarely in the hands of GCBD, their local partner?"
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Article Link: International User Accounts Swept Up in Chinese iCloud Data Migration
Migration? More like deportation!
Nothing, because you won't be setting your device's language and region settings to Chinese presumably.
Oh no... Not my point. Of course that is what they are gonna do, since it is their job to do so. And that is great.
But heaven forbid if in the process they care about anything else then money. Just look at accessing admin account on mac (root), or all the drama with keyboards.
Steve made money. Lots of it. For everyone. Steve made great products. For everyone.
TC makes money. Nothing else. Period.
There is a difference there. I really thought it wasn't that hard to spot it.
But it's an irrelevant difference. TC is still making money. That's his job. Period.
Didn't think it was that difficult
I said TC makes money. So it isn't difficult, you are right. I just don't understand why you have to repeat what I said, and then make it look like you're making an actual argument?
And there is one more thing that I said. It's not that difficult to comprehend. Just try a little harder. You can do it, I simply know you can.
You keep trying to suggest that Apple and TC have an obligation to be doing something more than make money and I'm sorry but I'm stupid and I don't understand what other obligation they have
Of course you can't. And finally we can agree on something.
Have a nice day
You're not willing to explain it to us poor thickos? Perhaps you don't truly understand it either
Have a fun day.
The lesson here is never ever change your App Store region to “China” my primary Apple ID is fine but my secondary Apple ID which I have temporarily set to the China region now seems to be locked to it, despite changing it back to the original country.
For all users checking the opt-out iCloud page - sounds stupid but make sure you log in first to check, it shows the scary message on the default page.
Funnily / terrifyingly the long list of things that are removed when you disable (opt out of) iCloud includes iCloud Keychain. So does that mean the Chinese Government will not only have front door access to all Chinese users iCloud data, but ALL passwords saved on their keychains too? Convenient!
For all users checking the opt-out iCloud page - sounds stupid but make sure you log in first to check, it shows the scary message on the default page.
Funnily / terrifyingly the long list of things that are removed when you disable (opt out of) iCloud includes iCloud Keychain. So does that mean the Chinese Government will not only have front door access to all Chinese users iCloud data, but ALL passwords saved on their keychains too? Convenient!
Double standards
They fight for democracy and equality in the west and they feed dictatoship and legitimize it in the east.
They fight for democracy and equality in the west and they feed dictatoship and legitimize it in the east.
I guess this will green light the UK and Australian governments efforts to crack security and further data mine its citizens, seeing everyone is busy whining about how Apple isn't letting them melt down their phones or handing out free batteries. Try getting free consumable stuff from your other hardware suppliers.
I'm in China longterm and I'm not affected. See post number 18 above (Patrickj) and follow the link if you're concerned.
[doublepost=1515721364][/doublepost]
Do you have the ability to elaborate? Or is that it?
My big concern is has Apple taken all, yes all the security checks to ensure only the relevant owners are affected and don’t “accidentally” scoop up user accounts who should not have been migrated?
There recent track record has not been stellar.
There recent track record has not been stellar.
Mind you that the link does not have any “opt out “ button to click. The only button is “keep using iCloud” with the message shown in that Twitter post, just in English version.
This thought crossed my mind. If it ever happened there would be difficulties in maintaining an a/c outside of the firewall. System and application updates would cease, as would data synchronisation. Personally I think it unlikely but if it were to be on the cards, Apple must be completely transparent well ahead of the event.
Last edited:
Oh, it absolutely knows what you are eating for breakfast tomorrow. Like it, or not you ARE going to eat it!
[doublepost=1515898573][/doublepost]Where do I sign up!
I am less worried about what the the Chinese government is going to do with my data then what our own government would do with it.
Last edited:
