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| Apple tracks iOS browsing behaviour by default |
| By Thom Holwerda on 2012-10-12 11:35:07 |
| Surprise, surprise - Apple, by default, tracks web browsing behaviour and location to better serve you ads. You have to specifically opt out of this tracking per individual iOS device that you own. Now we know why Apple has no problem with turning on 'Do Not Track' and not accepting tracking cookies by default: it has no effect on them whatsoever, because iOS 6 has its own independent user tracking mechanisms. Unlike what the Apple pundits claim, it's got nothing to do with respect for user privacy at all. Well paint me red and call me a girl scout: company selling ads tracks user behaviour. Shocker, huh? |
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| the root of the problem |
| By Janvl on 2012-10-12 15:19:52 |
| Dear Thom, if you do not own devices with IOS then you do not have this problem. |
 - Score: 2 |
| RE[2]: Selective tech amnesia |
| By phoudoin on 2012-10-12 15:43:26 |
|
> Why should we even have to opt out of being tracked instead of having to make a conscious effort to opt in to be tracked? Default values are set according to interest's of the one making it default. If it was off by default, end user may ignore that his behavior *could* generate profitable knowledge to you. If it is on by default, end user may ignore that his behavior *is* generating profitable knowledge to you. Search no more. |
| - Score: 3 |
| What does this have to do with the web and Safari? |
| By whartung on 2012-10-12 17:28:50 |
|
This seems to be about iAds, and not about Safari at all. AFAIK iAds isn't a generic web based ad network, but only for apps, and the opt out doesn't mention Safari at all. Safari has it's own switch to disable location tracking. Where does it say that they're tracking web traffic? |
| - Score: 2 |
| RE[3]: Selective tech amnesia |
| By TechGeek on 2012-10-12 17:51:30 |
| Here's a crazy idea. Instead of tracking me everywhere I go, give me a list of topics and let me choose which ones interest me. Then I don't have too much of my personal info out there in the ether and they still get to send me ads. I know, I know, the idea is just crazy. |
| - Score: 3 |
| RE: the root of the problem |
| By darknexus on 2012-10-12 20:24:43 |
|
> Dear Thom, if you do not own devices with IOS then you do not have this problem. Oh, of course, because Android/Google or Microsoft *never* track you, ever. Seriously get real. You don't want to be tracked somehow? Don't own a smart phone or any other interconnected device. It won't matter how many laws you put in place to prevent it, nor does it matter which web site you visit. If they want to track you, they will. You do notice that the options in web browsers have labels such as "ask web sites not to track me." You notice the word "ask?" That means, you know, that they don't have to obey. You put anti-tracking laws in one country? They'll host it in another. You ask pages not to track you? They will anyway. You opt out of ad tracking? You'll still get ads. If a page even *has* ads, those ads can track you in turn. Don't accept cookies? They have other, server-side ways of tracking visitors and viewers. Plus, you think your ISP or carrier isn't logging every little thing you send, just waiting to hand it over to someone? Ads are a trend as old as technology itself, starting from the hand-made billboard, through the television, and now on to the internet. If you want ads and ad-related tracking to stop, there's only one thing we can do, though it would require the collaboration of the entire human race. Never view them, never click on them, and never buy from a company that uses them. That will, of course, never happen so you might as well get used to it. |
| - Score: 5 |
| RE: What does this have to do with the web and Safari? |
| By darknexus on 2012-10-12 20:29:15 |
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> Where does it say that they're tracking web traffic? And where do you think data about your interest would come from if not web browsing? This isn't really about your location (there's a separate switch in settings to disable iAd's location tracking) but about serving ads based on your interests. In order to do that, they *must* be gathering data about what you view and where you surf. What I wonder is, does this apply to non-Safari web browsers? The opt out page only works in Safari, and it is not using a User-Agent header to determine this. This in turn means Safari has at least some part in the tracking, otherwise the web page would work in other browsers when they're broadcasting an identical mobile Safari user-agent. |
| - Score: 2 |
| One thing to keep in mind |
| By darknexus on 2012-10-12 20:30:44 |
| Just because you opt out doesn't necessarily mean that data isn't still being sent. You won't see interest-based ads, but that in and of itself does not mean the tracking is not still occurring. |
| - Score: 2 |
| Comment by marcp |
| By marcp on 2012-10-12 21:07:23 |
| Wow, this is sad and crazy. I'm amazed Thom's using Apple products, but well ... It's his choice ;) |
| - Score: 1 |
| RE[2]: Selective tech amnesia |
| By kovacm on 2012-10-12 21:14:56 |
|
> Yup, but ask yourself: how many users are aware of this? Heck, how many people here were aware of the fact Apple tracks you in the first place? With all the talk from the Apple pundits about how Apple hates tracking and about how tracking is evil and about how Apple is so into protecting user's privacy, you'd think Apple wouldn't do this. LOL! tryo to listen interview with Eric Schmidt http://new.livestream.com/accoun... and than come back to talk about privacy!! ;) |
| - Score: 3 |
| RE[3]: Selective tech amnesia |
| By WorknMan on 2012-10-12 21:23:37 |
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> • See ads that have absolutely no relevance to you • See ads that you might actually like There is no utopic third option. Actually, there is - don't install apps with ads - or if you're rooted/jailbroken, install an ad blocker. Problem solved. Not that I want everything for free... I'll gladly pay for an app I like, if the developer gives me the option as an alternative to adware. If not? F**k 'em :P For me, it's not the tracking that pisses me off, but the advertising; the only reason they want to track you is so they can serve you up relevant ads. But if you can eliminate most/all the ways they have to advertise to you, then you essentially cut them off at the knees, and all their tracking is a waste of time. I have an ad-blocker installed on my Android phone. Thus, I get zero ads, so they're more than welcome to waste their time tracking me. In fact, I hope they do :) Edited 2012-10-12 21:25 UTC |
| - Score: 2 |
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