iOS 8 randomises the MAC address while scanning for WiFi networks

Post by josso » Mon, Jun 09, 2014, 8:39 AM UTC

c1sc0 wrote: post #88

IBM wrote: post #37

It's pretty clear that Apple is positioning themselves in stark contrast to Google, they want to be the privacy/security company. Internet companies with advertising business models are a dime a dozen so that is a real advantage that differentiates Apple.

This. If you have access to the developer sessions from WWDC14 I urge you to look at the HealthKit, CloudKit & TouchID stuff. "We take privacy very seriously" was a recurring theme and seeing it baked into the new APIs made me smile. Very cool & reassuring move.

Post by pjc50 » Mon, Jun 09, 2014, 8:49 AM UTC

shurcooL wrote: post #38

_greim_ wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think on the general principle of privacy. But also, the idea that the more trackable you are, the more easily manipulated you are by marketers and advertisers. Free markets work better the more consumers are rational. Giving marketers deep psychological and behavioral insight increasingly enables them to circumvent rationality and "hack" consumers in various ways.

Thanks for a constructive and very insightful response. This definitely seems to be a valid reason why people would be against being tracked. We don't want to be more easily manipulated (through the data that the ones doing tracking are able to acquire) and coerced into buying things we don't want/need (but the ones doing tracking want us to buy). Would it be accurate to describe it like this: the consumers' interest…

Post by pjc50 » Mon, Jun 09, 2014, 8:51 AM UTC

User9812 wrote: post #131

rahimnathwani wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a flip side to this. Being less trackable means that any passive advertising or active marketing you do see is less tailored to your situation and needs. When I walk around I see many billboards advertising products for which I have no use (e.g. female hair care products). If tracking technology could replace those with things I actually might buy (even if male hair care products) then I would be a touch happ…

Do you know what companies never do? They never ask. I see dating ads, cars advertisements, feminine healthcare products, insurance ads, etc. What do I want to see? Travel accessories, computers, hardware, games, tech gadgets, etc. I never see these ads. Why doesn't Google say, hey, you're going to see Adsense all over the internet, advertisements before videos on YouTube, etc. Would you like to select a few categori…

Post by qbrass » Mon, Jun 09, 2014, 9:29 AM UTC

2muchcoffeeman wrote: post #159

DanBC wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> one of the advantages could be that they can optimize the store layout better so you don't have to walk as much to find what you want. But stores do not want to do that. Stores know you want a pint of milk and loaf of bread. They put these two items far apart which means you need to walk past all that other stuff, this increasing the chance you'll buy something else. Tracking technology isn't going to ne used to ma…

Depends what you're selling. A grocery store is like that since they operate on razor thin margins and making you impulse buy is how they are going to make more money. An Apple store is not laid out like that. I always see the big ticket items upfront and the accessories in the back. Most people don't impulse buy things that expensive.

Post by alister » Mon, Jun 09, 2014, 10:48 AM UTC

meepmorp wrote: post #168

elarkin wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Without being too specific, you should assume that Large stores already do this. Any store claiming to have "in store wifi" is almost guaranteed to be tracking you through your mac address. The system that I'm familiar with only tracks where you're going. It didn't (as of a couple months ago) have any way of linking your mac back to a consumer profile.

I was in a shopping mall recently, where the free wifi required your name and an email address before letting you use it. Fuck that.

  name
  sex
  marital status
  nationality
  place of birth
  profession
  identity document type
  identity document number
  street address
  city
  state
  country
  cellular phone number
  name of cellular provider
  landline phone number
  email address
  barcode from your boarding pass