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Shutting Down a Service with 500M Requests per Month

danielamitay.com

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Re: Shutting Down a Service with 500M Requests per Month

#31

Post by wlesieutre »

ploxiln wrote: post #29
killface wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That seems like an incredibly petty way to view it. Apple's not out to get you. In fact, I'm glad they did this. That iHasApp looks creepy as hell, and it pisses me off that other devs were using it to basically spy on me. It reduces my trust in all apps.

Technical people are accustomed to looking at the technical limitations of a problem space and then coming up with a solution. If the person managing the game then says "rule violation: you can't do stuff I don't like" it seems unfair. The better way is to design the API in such a way that it can't be "abused". It's Apple's fault that iHasApp was able to do what it did, and it's Apple's fault that Facebook continues…

While I'll agree with your second point about designing the API in a more safe way, the first one I'm not as sure about. You could make that same argument in favor of malware authors against Big Bad Microsoft walling them out with new Windows Defender definitions.

If something is stealing my personal information and sending it off to advertisers, I'm entirely happy to have the OS vendor give them the boot.

Re: Shutting Down a Service with 500M Requests per Month

#32

Post by strommen »

killface wrote: post #18
strommen wrote: post #15

> your app uses public APIs in a manner not prescribed by Apple What an enraging way to phrase this. I understand Apple's desire to shut this down, but they make their contempt for app developers obvious at every possible turn.

That seems like an incredibly petty way to view it. Apple's not out to get you. In fact, I'm glad they did this. That iHasApp looks creepy as hell, and it pisses me off that other devs were using it to basically spy on me. It reduces my trust in all apps.

To be clear - I have no problem with this service getting shut down, as it's clearly intended to violate the user's privacy. But to say you must use APIs as "prescribed" by Apple is way too broad and subjective.

I'm sure the iOS developer Terms of Service forbids this at some level. If not, then update it. Then say you're shutting this down because it violates the TOS.

Re: Shutting Down a Service with 500M Requests per Month

#33

Post by wlesieutre »

ploxiln wrote: post #30
wlesieutre wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, this reminds me of the recent(ish) realization that a javascript could check a link's applied style to determine if it had :visitied, letting advertisers trivially run test a very large list of links to fingerprint and profile anybody who visits a webpage. Mozilla patched that information leak. I don't remember anyone accusing them of "contempt for web developers." I'm no longer using iOS regularly, but the fac…

Mozilla didn't start white-listing web sites which it determined didn't snoop on the :visited property, and black list all other sites. Instead, it fixed the API.

Right, they did it by blocking javascript access to computed CSS styles so that it doesn't return :visited rules.

In Apple's case, the more secure options would either be "an app must include a perapproved list of which other apps are authorized to see that it is installed", or popups for permissions like "Image Editor wants to know if you have Dropbox."

Since Apple has both the authority and the manpower to approve or disapprove of apps, they chose to not take either and to stick with the version that gives the best user experience, while also allowing devs to continue checking installed apps when they need to as appropriate for cross-app interaction.

I guess it sucks from iHasApp's perspective, but I don't have any more sympathy for them than any other spyware developer. Just because Win32 apps aren't sandboxed and can read arbitrary data out of my home folder doesn't mean it's an OK thing to do.

Re: Shutting Down a Service with 500M Requests per Month

#36

Post by ianstallings »

The obvious lesson is that you shouldn't build a service that skirts right on the edge of "Apple definitely won't like this."

Well at least you kept your sense of humor about it all. It will probably help your chances at employment (or investment of your own business) going forward. Nothing wrong with pushing the barriers a little bit.

Re: Shutting Down a Service with 500M Requests per Month

#37

Post by SrslyJosh »

strommen wrote: post #15

> your app uses public APIs in a manner not prescribed by Apple What an enraging way to phrase this. I understand Apple's desire to shut this down, but they make their contempt for app developers obvious at every possible turn.

Privacy.

Fuck enumerating the apps that users have installed.

That's not what the API is for, and no user in their right mind would want that to happen.

Re: Shutting Down a Service with 500M Requests per Month

#40

Post by x0x0 »

sergiotapia wrote: post #38

So why is this kosher? https://support.twitter.com/articles/20172069

one guess

   We will notify you about this feature being turned on for your account by 
   showing a prompt letting you know that to help tailor your experience, 
   Twitter uses the apps on your device. Until you see this prompt, this 
   setting is turned off and we are not collecting a list of your apps. If you 
   do not see Tailor Twitter based on my apps in your account settings, app 
   graph collection is not occurring for your account.
So it's opt-in with a default of off.

second, some partners are more equal than others...

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