So Long Privacy: Apple Bans Apps, Music for Customers Who Opt Out of Tracking

[wahdangun]

hey guys check this out :

Big Brother Apple is watching you.

"Oh, cant you see; You belong to me... Every move you make... Ill be watching you."

Apple recently has come under fire for engaging in a campaign of moralistic censorship when it comes to the applications it allows on its mobile devices. That campaign is perhaps made more ironic by Apple's iconic 1984 commercial, in which it depicted itself as the face of freedom, taking down Big Brother. Now with a new announcement that it will be watching its device owners' every move, it seems unlikely that the accusation that it has become Big Brother will go away anytime soon.

The news that Apple would be collecting the "precise" "real-time geographic location" of its users' iPhones, iPads and computers was announced this week via the rollout of the company's new privacy policy.

Customers have the "option" to opt in, but Apple is reportedly punishing those who decline to accept the checkbox sort of privacy agreement. According to the LA Times, "Until they agree, they cannot download anything through the [iTunes] store."

That means no apps, music, or iBooks (from Apple) for those who opt out.

The company says there's no harm in letting it follow your every move. It says it will largely use the information for internal purpose such as MobileMe, the "Find My iPhone" app, and targeted advertising. It will also share the info with third-party app-makers who are looking to create location aware apps like social networking services or tweets.

The full agreement reads:
To provide location-based services on Apple products, Apple and our partners and licensees may collect, use, and share precise location data, including the real-time geographic location of your Apple computer or device. This location data is collected anonymously in a form that does not personally identify you and is used by Apple and our partners and licensees to provide and improve location-based products and services. For example, we may share geographic location with application providers when you opt in to their location services.

Some location-based services offered by Apple, such as the MobileMe “Find My iPhone” feature, require your personal information for the feature to work.

Customers do have the option to prevent third-party apps from collecting location data, which can be found under the "Location Services" page under Settings-->General on the iPad/iPhone. Still, this does not prevent Apple from collecting and using information internally for its own purposes, including advertising. Given Apple's language it is likely that the company does intend to collect and use this data, even when users disallow apps to access it.

Apple has not revealed how often it will poll its various devices for locations or how long it will store its logs of customers' movements.

By contrast Google's Android handsets do collect some of this information as well, but Google is more clear about exactly when you may be revealing your location. It writes:
If you use location-enabled products and services, such as Google Maps for mobile, you may be sending us location information. This information may reveal your actual location, such as GPS data, or it may not, such as when you submit a partial address to look at a map of the area.
For now, Apple users must face the music and decide whether they want to keep using their products and let Apple track them. As the classic Police song "I'll Be Watching You" goes, "Oh, cant you see; You belong to me... Every move you make... Ill be watching you."

wow, just like everyone in here are saying, the 1984 novel becoming more and more real.

source dailly tech

Is this one of many reasons people "Jailbreak" their phones??

[Hockster]

It's Apple, no one will really complain, yet people went ballistic after finding out Google collected WiFi data. Not that that was right either, but Apple seems to have so many people zombiefied.

[rizla1]

very nice . i can see how this will atleast benifit the pigs! lol . just make sure you guys dont do anything wrong!!!!

[Wile E]

Thank God for Jailbreaking. I'll accept the agreement AND block their servers from collecting data.

[wahdangun]

Originally Posted by Wile E

Thank God for Jailbreaking. I'll accept the agreement AND block their servers from collecting data.

what do you think it will stop apple from collecting the data, after you jailbroken it.

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by wahdangun

what do you think it will stop apple from collecting the data, after you jailbroken it.

Hosts file. I already run a custom one. Once the data collection servers are figured out, it's a simple matter of adding them.

[HookeyStreet]

This is a disgrace. They are not letting you 'opt' in, but are actually 'forcing' you to allow them to be nosey! This is now another reason why I hate Apple.

Time to JB the wifes iPhone I think

[Specsaver]

In all fairness, they only say they are going to use anonymous location information, mostly to serve ads. What's wrong with that?

Btw, has anyone used this "Find My iPhone" app that they mentioned there? Might come in handy.

First the "Iran edition" for magazines and now stalkerware.

But the apple zombies probably like having an electronic harness. They can pretend they are back in their mother's womb - which is what they REALLY want.

[arroyo]

Many would say no... but I fell sorry that Apple didn't do it earlier.
Two months ago my brand new iPhone 3GS was stolen. There is no possibility to track down thief. If there would be GPS tracking device, maybe I would be still happy.

[Specsaver]

Service providers can pinpoint your location based on your distance from the antennas from the very beggining of the cellular telephony. So anyone with a moblle phone can consider themselves being watched. I usually hate how Apple behaves towards people: customers and their own employees or contractors. But in this case I do not understand the outcry. What is wrong with Apple using anonymous location information to serve ads etc?

[arroyo]

@Specsaver
Yes, providers can pinpoint your device, until thief change your SIM card to his own. If phones would have tracking GPS module, and you could check on some website, where is your phone, it would be great. There are so many good phones on market and I'm worried about buying them because of pickpockets. I'm travelling by bus to work and I losing one phone every year. Now I have Nokia 3310. Nobody wants to steal it!

[inferKNOX]

imagine if their servers are hacked, or used by whomever it may concern to monitor you?!
Brrrr, it's like all those movies like 24 where they have surveillance everywhere and can track you a dozen different ways.
Glad I live in Africa for this reason!

[mdsx1950]

Does this affect Jailbroken iPod Touchs?

[hat]

I didn't like Apple before this anyway...

[wahdangun]

Originally Posted by arroyo

Many would say no... but I fell sorry that Apple didn't do it earlier.
Two months ago my brand new iPhone 3GS was stolen. There is no possibility to track down thief. If there would be GPS tracking device, maybe I would be still happy.

are you sure you want to be watched every time, btw there is and application that can used to track your phone even after the thief change the sim card, the application will send you a Message when your phone changed it simcard, so you can still track down, your phone with the new number that application send you

Originally Posted by Specsaver

Service providers can pinpoint your location based on your distance from the antennas from the very beggining of the cellular telephony. So anyone with a moblle phone can consider themselves being watched. I usually hate how Apple behaves towards people: customers and their own employees or contractors. But in this case I do not understand the outcry. What is wrong with Apple using anonymous location information to serve ads etc?

its totality wrong, because they spy all every time you turn up the phone without you even knowing it , and i don't like it.

but , i don't care because i don't have any apple product, so if you have apple product you must beware, because apple is watching you.

shame apple, they have lose their passion, i used to like apple, because they use different architecture than others (PPC VS X86). but right now, they area worse than MS and no different than dell, HP and Acer.

[mdsx1950]

Originally Posted by wahdangun

its totality wrong, because they spy all every time you turn up the phone without you even knowing it , and i don't like it.

but , i don't care because i don't have any apple product, so if you have apple product you must beware, because apple is watching you.

Is this only for iPhones or for all products including iPod Touch?????

[erixx]

God bless me for swearing that I wil never own any Apple shit.

[DrPepper]

I'm sure apple has better things to do than spy on me taking a shit.

[zithe]

I say they should go for it. Only people who complain are those who have something to hide and are too lazy to just jailbreak the crap.

[Frick]

Originally Posted by zithe

I say they should go for it. Only people who complain are those who have something to hide and are too lazy to just jailbreak the crap.

No. Just no.

[SabreWulf69]

They seem to be scared of Google's continuous and successful advertising scheme with the uprising of "Android" phones. Plain blackmailing bastards.

[zithe]

Many seem to forget that there are other, cheaper services to purchase music from. I'd rather have a 4g phone, anyways.

[hellrazor]

Originally Posted by erixx

God bless me for swearing that I wil never own any Apple shit.

I agree with that so much it hurts.