Apple Turns on iPhone Tracking in iOS6 • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple Turns on iPhone Tracking in iOS6

#11

Post by underwater » Mon, Oct 15, 2012, 7:55 PM UTC

glasshead969 wrote: post #8

FWIW, The learn more link in Settings-> General -> About -> Advertising says "iOS 6 introduces the Advertising Identifier, a non-permanent, non-personal, device identifier, that apps will use to give you more control over advertisers’ ability to use tracking methods. If you choose to limit ad tracking, apps are not permitted to use the Advertising Identifier to serve you targeted ads. In the future all apps will be r…

That seems to be different to interest based iAds. Make sure you visit oo.apple.com too.

Re: Apple Turns on iPhone Tracking in iOS6

#12

Post by Cbasedlifeform » Mon, Oct 15, 2012, 7:56 PM UTC

glasshead969 wrote: post #8

FWIW, The learn more link in Settings-> General -> About -> Advertising says "iOS 6 introduces the Advertising Identifier, a non-permanent, non-personal, device identifier, that apps will use to give you more control over advertisers’ ability to use tracking methods. If you choose to limit ad tracking, apps are not permitted to use the Advertising Identifier to serve you targeted ads. In the future all apps will be r…

Should have been under the "Privacy" setting -- if they really cared.

Re: Apple Turns on iPhone Tracking in iOS6

#13

Post by glasshead969 » Mon, Oct 15, 2012, 7:57 PM UTC

update to the linked article... "EDITED TO ADD (10/15): Apple has provided a way to opt out of the targeted ads and also to disable the location information being sent."

Re: Apple Turns on iPhone Tracking in iOS6

#14

Post by glasshead969 » Mon, Oct 15, 2012, 7:59 PM UTC

Cbasedlifeform wrote: post #12

glasshead969 wrote: post #8

FWIW, The learn more link in Settings-> General -> About -> Advertising says "iOS 6 introduces the Advertising Identifier, a non-permanent, non-personal, device identifier, that apps will use to give you more control over advertisers’ ability to use tracking methods. If you choose to limit ad tracking, apps are not permitted to use the Advertising Identifier to serve you targeted ads. In the future all apps will be r…

Should have been under the "Privacy" setting -- if they really cared.

I think the location information and other stuff applies to everything app can do, which is in Privacy tab. I think this option is disable the identifier itself.

Re: Apple Turns on iPhone Tracking in iOS6

#15

Post by dabei » Mon, Oct 15, 2012, 7:59 PM UTC

jeffclark wrote: post #5

You can turn it off by visiting http://oo.apple.com on your phone.

That only turn off tracking for iAd, which is one of hundreds of ad networks.

Re: Apple Turns on iPhone Tracking in iOS6

#16

Post by vetinari » Mon, Oct 15, 2012, 8:01 PM UTC

TimGebhardt wrote: post #10

From high horse: Well one more reason Android is better than iOS. Coming down from high horse: Oh crap, my phone's software is programmed by an advertising company... Conclusion: My life is being bought and sold out of my control.

While you are on your high horse: go to Settings | Location access and note the description below Wi-Fi & mobile network location item. Also note the checkbox on the right.

I remember that the system asked about it first time it needed location (and every time you turn this option on). The downside is that Google Now does not work without it.

Re: Apple Turns on iPhone Tracking in iOS6

#17

Post by mikeryan » Mon, Oct 15, 2012, 8:02 PM UTC

thechut wrote: post #2

Another case of how Apple doesn't care about its customers. They offer the opt-out option but turn the service on by default and don't notify anyone. Good thing (for Apple) most of their customers have had too much koolaid to care.

As a note this actually represents an improvement for Apple. It used to be that advertisers were able to use the raw UDID to identify users and it was used widely until the whole Path blowup got Congress involved. Advertising is a necessary evil and tracking users is a part of that, while its opt-out instead of opt-in this at least allows users who have concerns a lot of ability to choose if and how they want to be tracked.

Re: Apple Turns on iPhone Tracking in iOS6

#18

Post by betageek » Mon, Oct 15, 2012, 8:09 PM UTC

Just to be clear, Apple used to allow the use of the UDID for tacking which was directly tied to your device and non-deletable.

They now use an anonymous, temporary, random ID that can be turned off.

How is this not an improvement?

Re: Apple Turns on iPhone Tracking in iOS6

#19

Post by flxmglrb » Mon, Oct 15, 2012, 8:12 PM UTC

From the bottom of the article:

> EDITED TO ADD (10/15): Apple has provided a way to opt out of the targeted ads and also to disable the location information being sent.

Ok, why is that "edited to add"? Seriously. The page he links to on apple.com says it was last modified more than a month prior. Why did Schneier post his article, get some hits, and only then add this little tidbit which basically turns the whole thing into a non-story? Couldn't he have researched it all up front before posting the story? The page on apple.com is the very first hit for "iAd opt out" on Google. It's just beyond lazy to have posted this story without having done that search first.

I realize Schneier is a bit of a sacred cow in most tech circles, but this seriously just smacks of sensationalism:

"OMG Company X does something horrible!"

* wait for pageviews to roll in *

"EDIT: Eh, not really. Shoulda Googled first."

Come on. Really.

Re: Apple Turns on iPhone Tracking in iOS6

#20

Post by wmf » Mon, Oct 15, 2012, 8:14 PM UTC

betageek wrote: post #18

Just to be clear, Apple used to allow the use of the UDID for tacking which was directly tied to your device and non-deletable. They now use an anonymous, temporary, random ID that can be turned off. How is this not an improvement?

Wasn't there a period of time where UDID tracking was banned and the IFA had not yet been introduced? Some people were probably hoping that situation was permanent.