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Apple’s Tim Cook Delivers Blistering Speech on Encryption, Privacy

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Re: Apple’s Tim Cook Delivers Blistering Speech on Encryption, Privacy

#341

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even with the context, it's pretty bad. And it's not like his other quotes on privacy paint a better picture.

Wuth the context [0], it is a warning about privacy, the contrary meaning of the partial quote that is always used [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9655523

In context, the most charitable interpretation I can give is that he's saying you shouldn't trust anyone (not even Google) with data you want to keep private. A less charitable interpretation is to replace "not even Google" with "especially not Google", as they're not just retaining incidental personal data but actively harvesting as much as possible.

Re: Apple’s Tim Cook Delivers Blistering Speech on Encryption, Privacy

#342

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't see how buying gift cards for cash in person is less secure than buying something online for bitcoin. Cash would seem the least identifying and/or trackable way of purchasing gift cards.

One can easily use VPN services and Tor to anonymize IP address. And one can easily anonymize Bitcoins using various mixing services via Tor. But in buying gift cards with cash, there is in-store video. There's also cellphone tracking, for those who are careless.

How does this have anything to do with Apple?

Re: Apple’s Tim Cook Delivers Blistering Speech on Encryption, Privacy

#343

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>When it understands that I like sport team X, it's my data It is, but that's pretty useless unless Google also knows so that it can send you the relevant updates. >When it knows where I work and live to ask Google servers the weather or how long it would take to go somewhere, still my data used as the request base. The weather, possibly (although again, it's not much use unless Google know enough to target the local…

It is, but that's pretty useless unless Google also knows so that it can send you the relevant updates. It's shortsighted to say that just because (example implementation) my device polls their server for $team, that it is the same as "google knowing" I like $team. The interface does not need to be authenticated, or keep logs. There is just a slippery slope between monitoring for diagnostics and abuse that incrementa…

Yes there are other solutions that don't require Google to know who your favourite team is, but needing to have your device run a specific background process to constantly poll a remote server for each of the things you're interested in is a pretty clunky and resource-inefficient way of solving it vs subscribed push notifications from the server.

And Google doesn't necessarily know that you like $team. It knows that the email address you used to sign up to the alerts has requested updates on it. Is that really particularly scary?

Re: Apple’s Tim Cook Delivers Blistering Speech on Encryption, Privacy

#344

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doesn't the bulk of Google's money come from advertising, rather than search?

The money comes from advertising that is placed on searches.

And on websites and mobile apps. Search is just a means to advertise at this point, while advertising is the big money maker.

Re: Apple’s Tim Cook Delivers Blistering Speech on Encryption, Privacy

#345

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is, but that's pretty useless unless Google also knows so that it can send you the relevant updates. It's shortsighted to say that just because (example implementation) my device polls their server for $team, that it is the same as "google knowing" I like $team. The interface does not need to be authenticated, or keep logs. There is just a slippery slope between monitoring for diagnostics and abuse that incrementa…

Yes there are other solutions that don't require Google to know who your favourite team is, but needing to have your device run a specific background process to constantly poll a remote server for each of the things you're interested in is a pretty clunky and resource-inefficient way of solving it vs subscribed push notifications from the server. And Google doesn't necessarily know that you like $team. It knows that…

[deleted]

Re: Apple’s Tim Cook Delivers Blistering Speech on Encryption, Privacy

#346
post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can skip it

Can one buy Apple products for cash, without supplying any personal information or identication? Edit: This is a prerequisite for meaningful privacy. Plus having a pseudonymous account, funded by Bitcoins, for buying apps and stuff. Otherwise it's all based on trusting Apple, and so there's a single point of failure.

The Apple Store is extremely Tor-friendly, I find. There are no CAPTCHAs. In creating Apple IDs, there are no requests for personal information. Gift cards purchased with Bitcoins are recognized. I am gobsmacked! Maybe Apple is actually walking its privacy talk.

However, using ever-changing Tor exit IPs does trigger account locks, which require password reset. But that's arguably a feature, and not a bug.

Re: Apple’s Tim Cook Delivers Blistering Speech on Encryption, Privacy

#347

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because that company makes its from me, directly. It has to cater its products to ME, and not to advertisers, or enterprises, or anyone else.

But it is debatable as to whether they really do cater to you. In the end, if they release a product you don't like you have to like it or lump it. The same goes with their software. There was a significant backlash from when they changed the style in iOS7. They didn't ask you what you wanted. There was also a backlash when they introduced Lion and got rid of "Save As" or got rid of the maximise-equivalent in Yosemit…

I think you're mistaking "making products with everything I want" and "Making products I want."

Re: Apple’s Tim Cook Delivers Blistering Speech on Encryption, Privacy

#348

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But it is debatable as to whether they really do cater to you. In the end, if they release a product you don't like you have to like it or lump it. The same goes with their software. There was a significant backlash from when they changed the style in iOS7. They didn't ask you what you wanted. There was also a backlash when they introduced Lion and got rid of "Save As" or got rid of the maximise-equivalent in Yosemit…

I think you're mistaking "making products with everything I want" and "Making products I want."

It's the same isn't it? :-)
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