Tim Cook on What He Would Do in Mark Zuckerberg's Shoes: 'I Wouldn't Be in This Situation'

[alexhardaker]

I’m really looking forward to the rumoured Apple ID single sign in for websites replacing Facebook as a universal login.

Let me sign up for a website with Face ID and never have to remember a password again, without worrying about Facebook tracking my activity.

Most websites already include the necessary infrastructure to support this. They allow registering and logging in via Facebook, Google and sometimes even Twitter. Apple could provide a code for the button that would be dropped in and easily allow iOS and macOS devices to instantly register and easily log in without Facebook or Google tracking them.

Hooks for this were found in iOS 11.3. Is it still there? Now is as good a time as any to announce it.

Where have you heard this rumour?

 

[winarto78]

I guess you didn’t know that before the data goes to Google servers (or Amazon or S3) that it gets split into chunks, encrypted and THEN stored with no user-identifying information (to paraphrase the iOS Security White Paper).

So explain to us how Google can do anything with this data when they don’t know what it is or who it belongs to.
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I also remember that at first, SHA1 hash was said to be too long and too much resource for the chance to collide, and last year Google manage to make it collide.

I'm not gonna pretend to be smarter that engineers at Apple or Google or those big tech companies and said that I can explain how they do it. However what I do know is that encryption is a mathematical calculation that is meant to make it harder for people who doesn't know the key. It doesn't mean it can't be cracked if enough resource, time and money is put in. And what I do know is that Google, Amazon and even Apple themselves have the resource, and money to do it. They just need time before it cracks.

 

[Bacillus]

Nah, he only gave his customers data away with impunity. Let's see, cash in Ireland and my stuff safe or pay taxes and throw customers data over the wall. I'll stand with Ireland here.

You probably refer to Cook selling bulk customer data on a collective basis - with personalisation removed (which he didn’t quote here because it didn’t fit his PR)
As far as we know, and he knows. So far for the impunity.
But how much should you trust a company that leaves system access open with a blanc password, while its marketeers keep wondering “What’s a computer” ?
And what’s the span of control of a guy that allows that and can’t provision a wireless charger ?

 

[Tech198]

I say Apple's "doubling down on privacy" thing is true. They seem committed from the bottom up, even to the point where it hurts them like with iAd's death. I think they implemented iMessage with some overly complicated end-to-end encryption because it's glitchy af. But it's nice that I can trust them better than the other big corps.

True. but where privacy companies lack is "its still somewhere other than you" Keep it simple, rather than bring more companies into a circle and call it privacy.

 

[MacBH928]

I understand why FaceBook and Google collect and sell your data, but why do paid services like iCloud, DropBox, and others don't just encrypt everything?

This way even in a data breach no information will be shared.

 

[Abazigal]

Wasn’t aware and I wouldn’t say it’s cool but it’s still just for advertising so pretty low on the evil scale if you ask me.

Advertising is pretty unavoidable in this day and age people should be used to it by now and chill out. At least they are ads you should be interested in.

The problem is that some companies now use ads as an excuse to inject their own code and malware. I consent to being served ads because I understand that it helps keep the lights on for many an online website. I didn’t consent to having 30 different trackers running in the background doing god knows what.

And when Androidcentral can bring my iPad Pro to its knees through excessive ads, you know they have crossed the line.

 

[I7guy]

You probably refer to Cook selling bulk customer data on a collective basis - with personalisation removed (which he didn’t quote here because it didn’t fit his PR)
As far as we know, and he knows. So far for the impunity.
But how much should you trust a company that leaves system access open with a blanc password, while its marketeers keep wondering “What’s a computer” ?
And what’s the span of control of a guy that allows that and can’t provision a wireless charger ?

Good guess, but I’ll let you try one more time. But I guess in your mind differential analysis=What Facebook did. Ok, then.

 

[sofila]

I haven't found a single post on what happens when you login to Facebook on Apple stuff. I just hope that those Facebook/Apple users soon realize that all their privacy beliefs had been swept away since the very first time this action occurred

 

[deanthedev]

I also remember that at first, SHA1 hash was said to be too long and too much resource for the chance to collide, and last year Google manage to make it collide.

I'm not gonna pretend to be smarter that engineers at Apple or Google or those big tech companies and said that I can explain how they do it. However what I do know is that encryption is a mathematical calculation that is meant to make it harder for people who doesn't know the key. It doesn't mean it can't be cracked if enough resource, time and money is put in. And what I do know is that Google, Amazon and even Apple themselves have the resource, and money to do it. They just need time before it cracks.

And then what? Without any user-identifying information, what good is that data?
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But how much should you trust a company that leaves system access open with a blanc password,

You mean a bug that was fixed? You're now lumping in mistakes with intent? Or are you going to claim Apple did that on purpose and it wasn't just an unintended result of some change made to a piece of code?

Then we have Google, who took advantage of an exploit and wrote code to bypass Safari and continue tracking without the users permission. That was an INTENTIONAL act. Huge difference.

 

[Bacillus]

You mean a bug that was fixed? You're now lumping in mistakes with intent? Or are you going to claim Apple did that on purpose and it wasn't just an unintended result of some change made to a piece of code?

I do not have any evidence of intent - and didn’t mention it - so why even ask ?
It’s about claims from Mr Cook on privacy while there are so many elementary issues and recurring bugs that he neither cured nor showed himself able to enforce control of.
So what credibility have his claims ? And why would he prioritise his pointing at others over his own elementary responsibilities like development and timely privisioning of announced products ?

 

[deanthedev]

I do not have any evidence of intent - and didn’t mention it - so why even ask ?
It’s about claims from Mr Cook on privacy while there are elementary issues and bugs that he hasn’t been able to enforce control of. So what credibility have these claims ? And why would he prioritise his pointing to others over his own elementary responsibilities like development and timely privisioning of announced products ?

You don’t seem to understand the difference between privacy and bugs, and are trying to equate the two. Which a lot of others are also trying to do, in sone lame attempt to say Apple/Cook aren’t concerned about privacy.

It’s like claiming Toyota doesn’t care about vehicle reliability because I ran over a nail and got a flat tire.

 

[Bacillus]

Good guess, but I’ll let you try one more time. But I guess in your mind differential analysis=What Facebook did. Ok, then.

I am hardly interested in FaceBook and so should Cook - before improving his own lackluster tenure.
Despite or thanks to your contributions’ relevance
[doublepost=1522331441][/doublepost]

You don’t seem to understand the difference between privacy and bugs, and are trying to equate the two. Which a lot of others are also trying to do, in sone lame attempt to say Apple/Cook aren’t concerned about privacy.
It’s like claiming Toyota doesn’t care about vehicle reliability because I ran over a nail and got a flat tire.

Anyone with even my restricted understanding of things will realize that privacy depends on security and simply ceases to exist with security bugs of this elementary kind.
A CEO that allows that to happen better keeps silent for a while - instead of being the wiseacre on the subject. Which also would be my advise to you. If you want to make an analogy with car reliability: that does not exist without a fully functional steering or braking system (amongst a few more necessary conditions)
Reserve the nail for making some better points

 

[MoreRumors?]

It's all about making money and FB should just come clean about it. No company should ever be permitted to have access to data from another company. Any company that offers free Cloud is just as guilty.

 

[mingravity]

You can have a perfectly normal life without Facebook.

rather you will have a normal life without fb

 

[I7guy]

I am hardly interested in FaceBook and so should Cook - before improving his own lackluster tenure.
Despite or thanks to your contributions’ relevance
[doublepost=1522331441][/doublepost]
Anyone with even my restricted understanding of things will realize that privacy depends on security and simply ceases to exist with security bugs of this elementary kind.
A CEO that allows that to happen better keeps silent for a while - instead of being the wiseacre on the subject. Which also would be my advise to you. If you want to make an analogy with car reliability: that does not exist without a fully functional steering or braking system.
And there are a few more necessary conditions.
Reserve the nail for making some better points

This is a thread about a cooks comments on the Facebook situation; regardless of any one persons perception of the job he is doing or if the man himself. Good for cook for using them as an example.

 

[kazmac]

You can have a perfectly normal life without Facebook.

I wish I could upvote this many more times.

Apple may be better with privacy, but I hope they are working on preventing additional security issues in their OS.

 

[MistrSynistr]

Everyone not intertwined in the corruption is distancing themselves from Facebook/Twit/Goog/Amazon/etc. because they are all collapsing soon.

Believe it.

 

[Bacillus]

This is a thread about a cooks comments on the Facebook situation; regardless of any one persons perception of the job he is doing or if the man himself. Good for cook for using them as an example.

Facebook for me represents the lowest of the lowest inception of human interaction.
Cook is supposed to have better things to engage with (in particular as security in his company appears to be on an even lower level)

 

[mi7chy]

Facebook isn't completely useless such as for discovering local events and the group discussions. Smart users have already taken proactive measures to limit access by avoiding the app and during account creation. They also know how to handle iOS requiring an Apple ID to track everything to iCloud.

 

[cfurlin]

You can have a perfectly normal life without Facebook.

And I have for the past six years, after I dumped that useless platform that targets the stupid and the lazy.
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inb4 "z0mG!! Tim shouldn't talk about politics and give us the Mac mini! Steve's rollin in his grave right now!"

Do.Not.Poke.The.Bear

Bringing it up will just awaken them from their stupor and encourage them once they smell fresh meat.

 

[deanthedev]

Anyone with even my restricted understanding of things will realize that privacy depends on security and simply ceases to exist with security bugs of this elementary kind.
A CEO that allows that to happen better keeps silent for a while - instead of being the wiseacre on the subject. Which also would be my advise to you. If you want to make an analogy with car reliability: that does not exist without a fully functional steering or braking system (amongst a few more necessary conditions)
Reserve the nail for making some better points

You're still missing the point.

ALL software will have exploits/bugs, especially something as complex an an operating system. This is completely separate from a company's STANCE on issues like privacy.

Tim is absolutely right to promote Apples position on privacy when it comes to customer data, and he's absolutely right to call out Facebook or Google on this issue. Tim never once made a claim that iOS or macOS are 100% bug free. So why are you trying to shift the narrative to one of bugs/exploits when this article is about policy?

 

[AGH94]

Apple should buy Facebook and redesign social media

 

[truthertech]

On the whole I think Apple tries to live up to it's security pledges, at least here in the U.S. In China Apple evidently follows another set of rules, so their privacy stance isn't really universal and if they can make exceptions for one place they can eventually make those exceptions elsewhere as well.

Not true. You're conflating Apple complying with Chinese law to store data on servers located in China, with Apple collecting private data or giving your data away. The information stored on the Chinese servers is still encrypted. At the point, China demands a back door into your data, then Apple will have a tough decision and if they cave, you would be right about differing privacy standards.

 

[Bacillus]

You're still missing the point
ALL software will have exploits/bugs, especially something as complex an an operating system. This is completely separate from a company's STANCE on issues like privacy.
Tim is absolutely right to promote Apples position on privacy when it comes to customer data, and he's absolutely right to call out Facebook or Google on this issue. Tim never once made a claim that iOS or macOS are 100% bug free. So why are you trying to shift the narrative to one of bugs/exploits when this article is about policy?

I’m hardly missing anything and any sw has bugs, but this flaw is such a terrible sign of neglect that - in the IT industry - it just couldn’t be worse. The symbol of mental latency of the highest order possible.
If you don’t realize what leaving all doors open means to the userbase:
Cook, behaving as a Herald of Free Enterprise performed similar to the Captain of that similarly named ferry in 1987: Sailing out the Zeebrugge harbour with all doors wide open.
The only thing inexcusable / unthinkable.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...ears-on-maritime-tragedy-killed-a7583131.html
Whether accountable or (indirectly) responsible, whether policy or incident, this deprives him from any credibility to comment others on any security/privacy related subject.

 

[I7guy]

I’m hardly missing anything and any sw has bugs, but this flaw is such a terrible sign of neglect that - in the IT industry - it just couldn’t be worse. The symbol of mental latency of the highest order possible.
Cook, behaving as a Herald of Free Enterprise performed similar to the Captain of that similarly named ferry in 1987: Sailing out the Zeebrugge harbour with all doors wide open.
The only thing inexcusable / unthinkable.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...ears-on-maritime-tragedy-killed-a7583131.html
Whether accountable or (indirectly) responsible, whether policy or incident, this deprives him from any credibility to comment others on any security/privacy related subject.

Cook is performing far, far above the level of the captain. He’s performing at a Steve Jobs level in a completely different fashion. For you’re entire “argument” to mean something you have to have the opinion of a low level of cooks performance. But since I believe Cook is performing at a high level your “analogy” to a sinking ship is “virtually” worthless.
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Not true. You're conflating Apple complying with Chinese law to store data on servers located in China, with Apple collecting private data or giving your data away. The information stored on the Chinese servers is still encrypted. At the point, China demands a back door into your data, then Apple will have a tough decision and if they cave, you would be right about differing privacy standards.

I thought China would have had the keys, otherwise no need to move servers. It’s the cost of doing business in China.