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| Apple yanks privacy application from the App Store |
| By Thom Holwerda on 2012-07-20 12:23:33 |
| "Back in May of this year, Internet security firm Bitdefender launched an app and service designed to help iOS users get a grip on what the apps installed on their mobile devices may be up to. [...] The app tells owners of iOS devices which applications may be accessing more information than they need, and identifies potentially 'misbehaving' apps, giving users an inside look at all the information app developers can gather about a user. [...] Seems legit, right? Apple doesn't think so. Or at least they have an issue with something behind the app that sparked them to pull it from the App Store this week." That seems odd. Why would they do such a thing? "Interestingly, Bitdefender did share some data that they gathered based on Clueful's analysis of more than 65,000 popular iOS apps so far: 42.5 percent of apps do not encrypt users' personal data, even when accessed via public Wi-Fi; 41.4 percent of apps were shown to track a user's location unbeknownst to them; almost one in five of the apps analyzed can access a user's entire Address Book, with some even sending user information to the cloud without notification." Oh, right. Informing users their data is wholly unsafe? Not on Apple's watch! |
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| RE[3]: Typically Apple |
| By Neolander on 2012-07-21 06:25:50 |
|
That would be Apple admitting that people need to care a little bit about security considerations to be actually protected from threats, and that the whole App Store thing is really not even close to the ultimate solution to all computer security problems they repeatedly claimed it to be. Then there might be growing suspicion that Apple are just using the illusion of security as a disguise to let uncanny horrors pass through, Patriot Act-style. Not going to happen unless they are forced to, in my opinion. Edited 2012-07-21 06:29 UTC |
 - Score: 3 |
| False sense of security |
| By mantrik00 on 2012-07-21 07:43:26 |
| So, if there is a 'malware' in the Appstore you wouldn't know it and be fooled into believing that the iPhone and the Appstore is more secure than others. Apple, by its tight control over the ecosystem, isn't necessarily ensuring security, but is certainly ensuring a monopolistic restriction and a false sense of security which is so often touted by it fans certain sections of the media. |
| - Score: 5 |
| RE[3]: simple solution |
| By Tony Swash on 2012-07-21 09:44:11 |
|
Let's think about this structurally shall we, let's think about business model's, user data, product revenue, and privacy. On the one hand is a company, Apple, that makes almost all it's money selling actual things to consumers, almost wholly individual rather than corporate consumers. Apple's customers are the people who buy it's things. On the other hand is a company, Google, that makes almost all it's money selling advertising, advertising whose value is determined by Google's ability to collect data about what people do on their computers, devices and on the internet. Google's customers are those who buy advertising and it's product is data about the behaviour of those who use it's services and a range of free software offerings. Which business model is more likely to raise issues of user privacy? Which company, Apple or Google, has just been fined for deliberately and secretly circumventing user privacy settings? Google's entire business model is based on collecting user information. More worryingly, and deliberately obscured in it's recent financial reports, is the fact that Google's core business is actually deteriorating and has been deteriorating for some time. Which is primarily the reason that Google's has drastically enlarged it's attempts to monetize far more of it's user interaction. The most important number in Google's quarter? Revenue-per-click was down a whopping 16% year on year. The previous quarter it was down 12% year on year. The one before that down 8% . The dollar paid per click is essentially the price of an ad. And yet Google's advertising revenue was up. How did they do that? Total ad clicks jumped 42%, because the search results are more and more ads and less and less genuine results. See this graphic comparing a 2008 Google search result vs a 2012 Google search result. http://www.brianshall.com/sites/... But obviously they can't continue to increase the advertising density indefinitely, which means this is a one-time boost that masks the underlying deterioration of dollar-per-click. Once that's baked into the year on year the problem will be exposed. By increasing the ad density they are selling the future in exchange for the temporary illusion of prosperity. So a company whose core business is collecting user data to sell advertising is under strong commercial pressure to sustain a deteriorating revenue base. Does that bode well for privacy? |
| - Score: 2 |
| RE[4]: simple solution |
| By No it isnt on 2012-07-21 12:33:40 |
| Right. When facts are against you, think "structurally" instead, with evidence collected in a dystopian future you made up from the arguments you made up. Structurally, you're arguing in circles. |
| - Score: 4 |
| RE[5]: simple solution |
| By Tony Swash on 2012-07-21 14:13:13 |
|
> Right. When facts are against you, think "structurally" instead, with evidence collected in a dystopian future you made up from the arguments you made up. Structurally, you're arguing in circles. What facts are against me? I literally don't understand what you are arguing. I would have thought my point was clear: in general one should be more concerned about privacy issues with companies whose core business model depends on collecting data about users behaviour than those whose core business does not. Seems pretty straightforward and clear to me. Just common sense. |
| - Score: 3 |
| RE: simple solution |
| By phoudoin on 2012-07-21 14:22:00 |
|
> The simplest solution, do not buy apple. Keep your privacy. *And* your money. *And* your soul, possibly ;-) |
| - Score: 4 |
| RE[3]: simple solution |
| By phoudoin on 2012-07-21 14:25:02 |
|
> Where can I see the information Apple has on me? Apple already answered: buy our next device and you will get what you've asked for. Oh, and this *will* be a revolution. |
| - Score: 2 |
| RE[6]: simple solution |
| By andydread on 2012-07-21 14:26:41 |
|
Fact Apple runs an ad system called iAD Fact Apple collects user data for iAD Apple does not let you know any of the data that is collected. At least Google lets you know some of it. The point is no one has any idea what data Apple collects and at least with Google you have some idea. |
| - Score: 3 |
| RE[2]: Jailbreak |
| By weckart on 2012-07-21 14:35:44 |
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Jailbreak / root - what's the difference, really? Whatever you buy, you still have to tinker with security in order to install exactly what you want. |
| - Score: 2 |
| RE[4]: simple solution |
| By Thom_Holwerda on 2012-07-21 15:50:12 |
|
Right. I guess that's why Apple is pimping how it owns 400 million credit card numbers. That's all because it's not pimping out its users. Yessirree. Stop lying to yourself. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/20... |
| - Score: 2 |
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