Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Apple Q&A on gathering and use of location data (Apple Press Release)

apple.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

1–10 of 159 posts

Re: Apple Q&A on gathering and use of location data (Apple Press Release)

#2

Post by pieter »

5. Can Apple locate me based on my geo-tagged Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data?

No. This data is sent to Apple in an anonymous and encrypted form. Apple cannot identify the source of this data

I hate it when companies use 'encrypted' like it would somehow make your data more secure in their hands. They mean here they use something like SSL so snooping the traffic is impossible, but of course they can still read what you're sending, otherwise the information would be useless to them.

The claim that apple can't identify the source of the data is also highly dubious. If they wanted to, they could probably correlate your IP with the IP used to access your iTunes account. That they don't do this is one thing, but claiming that they can't is something else.

EDIT: come on HN, since when did we start downvoting stuff you don't want to hear? This is a valid point, if you have critizism just leave a comment. If you want to downvote something, do it on the summary comments. Sheesh.

Re: Apple Q&A on gathering and use of location data (Apple Press Release)

#3

Post by sklivvz1971 »

3. Why is my iPhone logging my location?

The iPhone is not logging your location. Rather, it’s maintaining a database of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers around your current location, some of which may be located more than one hundred miles away from your iPhone, to help your iPhone rapidly and accurately calculate its location when requested

This actually makes sense - looking at the logs on my iPhone and iPad, the locations where pretty far away from the places where I usually roam, and actually there was a very great deal of places where I've never been, not even close.

Re: Apple Q&A on gathering and use of location data (Apple Press Release)

#5

Post by delphi42 »

"In the next major iOS software release the cache will also be encrypted on the iPhone."

Great, thanks a lot! Now I no longer have the option of viewing what law enforcement will be able to get anyways. Nor will I have access to what essentially was a pretty neat database to look through.

Re: Apple Q&A on gathering and use of location data (Apple Press Release)

#6

Post by eli »

delphi42 wrote: post #5

"In the next major iOS software release the cache will also be encrypted on the iPhone." Great, thanks a lot! Now I no longer have the option of viewing what law enforcement will be able to get anyways. Nor will I have access to what essentially was a pretty neat database to look through.

Not to sound flip, but if you're concerned about law enforcement tracking your movements, you should leave the phone at home.

Re: Apple Q&A on gathering and use of location data (Apple Press Release)

#7

Post by yalogin »

pieter wrote: post #2

5. Can Apple locate me based on my geo-tagged Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data? No. This data is sent to Apple in an anonymous and encrypted form. Apple cannot identify the source of this data I hate it when companies use 'encrypted' like it would somehow make your data more secure in their hands. They mean here they use something like SSL so snooping the traffic is impossible, but of course they can still read what…

I understand being cynical but in this case the keyword is anonymous. The encryption is for protecting in transit like you said.

In order to populate their wi-fi/location database they really don't have to send over a person's IP to the server. In fact its something they don't want I would assume as it adds absolutely no value to the data. They already know who you are and where you are don't they?

Re: Apple Q&A on gathering and use of location data (Apple Press Release)

#9

Post by yalogin »

This is a perfectly reasonable explanation.

I have seen this more and more lately, the standard reaction to anything Apple in the tech community is pitchforks. I have a feeling subconsciously we all want Apple to fail at something and try to latch on to anything remotely blamable.

Post reply on HN