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Apple collecting, sharing iPhone users' precise locations

latimesblogs.latimes.com

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Re: Apple collecting, sharing iPhone users' precise locations

#11

Post by zweben »

amalcon wrote: post #6
danudey wrote: post #4

The article points to a bit of legalese which says that 'in order to provide location services, apple and their partners and licensees' etc. In other words 'Some apps or Apple services (e.g. MobileMe) may have to figure out where you are and send that somewhere'. This should be a no-brainer. As one commenter said, it's just scaremongering for pageviews.

This is one thing the Palm Pre got right. When you first turn on your phone, it asks if you'd like to always allow location info, or if you'd like the phone to ask each time. If you say no, any app (even the pre-installed ones) must ask every time it wants to get your current location. If you say yes, it gets out of your way and doesn't bug you unless you change it in the settings. Of course, if you say yes, it also…

iOS asks you each time though. So Apple is erring on the side of caution, if anything.

Re: Apple collecting, sharing iPhone users' precise locations

#12

Post by amalcon »

zweben wrote: post #11
amalcon wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is one thing the Palm Pre got right. When you first turn on your phone, it asks if you'd like to always allow location info, or if you'd like the phone to ask each time. If you say no, any app (even the pre-installed ones) must ask every time it wants to get your current location. If you say yes, it gets out of your way and doesn't bug you unless you change it in the settings. Of course, if you say yes, it also…

iOS asks you each time though. So Apple is erring on the side of caution, if anything.

Did not know that. In that case, what's the big deal?

Re: Apple collecting, sharing iPhone users' precise locations

#13

Post by dumber »

there wrote: post #9
aymeric wrote: post #5

If Facebook, Microsoft or Adobe had such an announcement, the whole internet and HN community would have been enraged. It seems people are more tolerant about Apple privacy issues. Is it because the present issue is interpreted as a lesser issue?

i think it's because many people think apple actually has some sense of concern for its users privacy and security, unlike some of those other companies.

HAHAHAHA

Re: Apple collecting, sharing iPhone users' precise locations

#14

Post by joejohnson »

spicyj wrote: post #3

Anyone who wishes not to be tracked can simply go to http://oo.apple.com/ on their device to opt out. More info: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4228

Does that opt-out have to do with location though? The info page doesn't mention this when it explains how iAds will tailor advertisements to users. It does say "Apple and its partners use cookies and other technologies in mobile advertising services." Are you implying that 'other technologies' could mean geotagging?

Re: Apple collecting, sharing iPhone users' precise locations

#15

Post by Timothee »

amalcon wrote: post #12
zweben wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

iOS asks you each time though. So Apple is erring on the side of caution, if anything.

Did not know that. In that case, what's the big deal?

From what I understand, the article is about the fact that Apple may be keeping track of the devices' position at all times, as part of the OS basically.

The prompt that asks you every time if you want to give your location is for when you're using apps.

Re: Apple collecting, sharing iPhone users' precise locations

#16

Post by irons »

jws wrote: post #7

On an island in the middle of nowhere, my iPad (without cellular or gps) knows its precise location. No google van or wifi mapping car could have come within a mile of the wifi access point which is only on sporadically. I presume my brother's iPhone 3gs correlated the wifi access point and his coordinates for someone when we opened the cabin this spring. This may be an "after the fact" license update.

Suggesting that Apple silently correlates and feeds back iPhone GPS data to Skyhook's access point database is speculative, at best. Occam's razor says Skyhook is using off-the-shelf hardware to identify access points at a distance, especially if your island in the middle of nowhere affords clear line of sight.

Your wifi only being on sporadically isn't dispositive either. I took an Airport Express to a hotel once for a two-day conference, and for months afterward my iPhone thought my apartment in Seattle was in downtown San Diego.

Re: Apple collecting, sharing iPhone users' precise locations

#17

Post by benologist »

amalcon wrote: post #8
spicyj wrote: post #3

Anyone who wishes not to be tracked can simply go to http://oo.apple.com/ on their device to opt out. More info: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4228

This strikes me as a sketchy use of "opt-out": why would anyone actually want this? They're clearly hoping that most people either don't find out, or are too lazy to bother.

That's the whole point of opt out ... do something until someone really doesn't want it and then make them search to find out how to stop it.

Re: Apple collecting, sharing iPhone users' precise locations

#19

Post by huhtenberg »

spicyj wrote: post #3

Anyone who wishes not to be tracked can simply go to http://oo.apple.com/ on their device to opt out. More info: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4228

According to the KB this opts one out "of receiving interest-based ads".

This likely means that this does not stop Apple from collecting the tracking information. They just will not use it to serve you the ads.

Re: Apple collecting, sharing iPhone users' precise locations

#20

Post by hboon »

Timothee wrote: post #15
amalcon wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did not know that. In that case, what's the big deal?

From what I understand, the article is about the fact that Apple may be keeping track of the devices' position at all times, as part of the OS basically. The prompt that asks you every time if you want to give your location is for when you're using apps.

Only once for an app if you said Yes, until you turn it off.
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