It's an option in iTunes, right on the main sync page when you choose your device. Nothing obscure.
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Researchers Disclose iPhone and iPad Location-Tracking Privacy Issues
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It's an option in iTunes, right on the main sync page when you choose your device. Nothing obscure.
Reading is fundamental. The point is not tracking the phone, its keeping a usable log of it on the computer and phone that can be accessed by others.
Big difference.
Only if the device is jailbroken. Normally, there is a "sandbox" in place that prevents apps from accessing system files (and files belonging to other apps). Jailbreaking effectively disables this sandbox.
Why am I not surprised ... At least in this case the data is stored on my devices. We all know that cell phone locations are being tracked (and stored somewhere out of my reach) - whoever doen't want anybody else to 'track' the location anyway shouldn't have a cell phone (or only a cheap prepaid one that he payed in cash for) ... I travel a lot around the world and it was pretty cool to see those maps of my travels and hit the 'play' button.
That's actually not true in any case I have read about. You can't compel encryption passwords.
The iPhone is sold on how easy it is to use and that you don't have to fiddle with things. But it's shown time and time again that despite everything they do to keep it as simple and user friendy as possible, it's not true.
Most iPhone users won't have a clue about how to do this. If Apple had actually encrypted the file this wouldn't have been this huge problem.
time to do research?
if you are not doing anything wrong, what is there to worry about?
Is this true?
I though that an in car GPS just receives the signals from the satellites and works out your position. How can that be tracked?
They do just receive, not transmit, however they also keep track logs.
Depends on the cipher really. Not all ciphers can be decrypted with even the latest of the latest hardware, especially if you lack the private key. And a court order can force you all you want to give up that private key, but they can't force you to remember it or not lose it.
"I don't remember" or "I lost the private key to my encrypted backup, but here's the AES-256 encrypted file guys, have a go at it" are perfectly good answers.
As for this topic, SLA/ToS whatever. Not everything written in a TOS is legal or binding. If they wrote you had to murder your 1st born child, would you ? Would a court find it legally binding ? Of course not. Invasions of privacy aside, is there even a reason to store the location information like that, timestamped and polled every second ?
Why can't the device poll my location when asked for it only ? Why does it need to do it periodically ? Why is there no cleaning up after a certain time has elapsed ?
All serious questions. Even if I don't have anything to hide my privacy is still important to me. If I want you to know about my mundane life with no frills, I'll tell you about it.
Agree. I never understood the "Read the ToS" excuse because there's no way you are legally binded to everything that it says (your example was clear enough).
I have no problem with the logs the phone creates (I have already downloaded the PhoneTracker app and I can confirm that it does work) but I would like to know when, how and why it´s running. Just because someone has "nothing to hide" doesn't mean that they want to "show you everything".
Apple, since it clearly advocates a "user-driven" culture, needs to explain why this is happening.
I kinda remember someone in the industry saying something like this...
I totally agree. We should just let any corporation or government track anything we do. If they want to turn our phones into constant listening devices, why would anyone oppose that, other than those who are doing wrong....
Sheeple.
If Apple see this as an issue and fix it, do you think iPhone 3g users will see an update or are they left with their phones collecting data like this forever?
Glad you noticed my advice way back on page 4 post no. 89. I know submitted it for a reason.
Because the definition of "wrong" can be changed and stretched by the government. Think "Red scare".
But since you're so open, why don't you go ahead and give me the password to your Email account?
How so. The phone is recording where it goes. There is no proof that it is sending that information to anyone.
And how likely is it that you are going to be careless with your iphone and/or the computer you sync it to. Particularly without a passcode lock on your iphone to protect your personal data.
Apple has provided the means to lock your phone, to auto wipe it if someone can't guess your pass code in several times and even to turn off location services and refuse app by app to allow them to use your location. Plus you can encrypt the back ups to your computer.
Unless you can prove they are transmitting that data to another party without your permission what wrong is Apple doing, what are they breaching.
According to Apple Germany, simply navigating to https://oo.apple.com with your iOS 4 device should stop 'this' (though it is not clear what 'this' is, is it the collection and storage of data or just the use of them for iAds).
I can understand the privacy concerns here. I'm not a criminal so I'm not too worried about what might happen if someone gets my phone and figures out where I've been. The first thing I thought of when I read this is maybe if my phone wasn't needlessly doing this in the background I might get better battery life.
Corporate 101
I'm surprised that some of you don't understand what Steve is saying. So while I am stating the obvious, here goes:
Apple is a corporation. Corporations are required BY LAW to maximize profitability for their shareholders (fiduciary duty.) This is THE ONLY thing they "care" about.
Now, does providing products that customers like help them maximize profits? Of course. But don't ever confuse their efforts to please customers as being altruistic or showing that they "care" about customers. They only care about profit. If keeping customers happy increases profits, they do it. If giving away free bumpers for iPhone4s is good PR and creates customer goodwill, which increases future profits, then they do it. If selling private data to advertisers or government agencies creates more revenue than it costs (in lost customers,) then they do it.
It is all calculated on the bottom line and they are REQUIRED to take the action that maximizes profits, like ALL corporations.
I'm surprised that some of you don't understand what Steve is saying. So while I am stating the obvious, here goes:
Apple is a corporation. Corporations are required BY LAW to maximize profitability for their shareholders (fiduciary duty.) This is THE ONLY thing they "care" about.
Now, does providing products that customers like help them maximize profits? Of course. But don't ever confuse their efforts to please customers as being altruistic or showing that they "care" about customers. They only care about profit. If keeping customers happy increases profits, they do it. If giving away free bumpers for iPhone4s is good PR and creates customer goodwill, which increases future profits, then they do it. If selling private data to advertisers or government agencies creates more revenue than it costs (in lost customers,) then they do it.
It is all calculated on the bottom line and they are REQUIRED to take the action that maximizes profits, like ALL corporations.
android enthusiast here.
i don't see what the big deal is. so what if Apple is storing your location data.
everyone here is on facebook, exposing their real names, friends, user uploaded photos that are under the control of facebook under the new TOS agreement, where they live, phone numbers, what they like, what they dislike, their status updates, etc.
so please, everyone be quiet about this 'omg my civil liberties are being trampled on!'
the moment you go on the internet, privacy goes right out the window.
and btw, google stores location data allll the time.
facebook.com? lol, more like facebook.gov
i don't see what the big deal is. so what if Apple is storing your location data.
everyone here is on facebook, exposing their real names, friends, user uploaded photos that are under the control of facebook under the new TOS agreement, where they live, phone numbers, what they like, what they dislike, their status updates, etc.
so please, everyone be quiet about this 'omg my civil liberties are being trampled on!'
the moment you go on the internet, privacy goes right out the window.
and btw, google stores location data allll the time.
facebook.com? lol, more like facebook.gov
With any cell phone (smart or otherwise) the telephone networks have been able to track your movements. All you need to do is to keep it turned on. Not much you can do about this, except hope they don't exercise that ability. Turning the device off frequently can help somewhat... they don't know where you've been (or where your device has been) when the device is turned off.
So I'm going to buy an iPad (Wi-Fi only). I'll either turn it off or close the cover (putting it to sleep) when I'm not using it. I would like to see old location data automatically deleted and to have the option of not backing up location data.
Does the MBP have anything similar inside? No reason why it couldn't.