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Google, Meta 'break' Apple's device fingerprinting rules

theregister.com

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Re: Google, Meta 'break' Apple's device fingerprinting rules

#61

Post by Larrikin »

poochkoishi728 wrote: post #14
SunlitCat wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

Devil's advocate: People using Android accept (for whatever reason) a less fluid, subpar UI and UX, while iPhone users are less likely to tolerate it (by nature of not using Android). Thus, using an iPhone could actually suggest a more sophisticated sense of taste i.e. being cooler.

Material design is a better UI and UX experience and more thought out than iOS flat. iOS is more limiting overall which might be better for some users by providing less options. You can't install a virus, or any apps you want, if Cook doesn't approve it first.

But complaining about design is a lazy complaint from 10 years ago when Samsung was fighting against a clearly better UI to differentiate its offering after Google spent the money to actually design a UI.

Lag is an issue if you are comparing 100 dollar budget phones to the latest $1000+ iPhone. Not if you actually compare it to a comparable model.

Re: Google, Meta 'break' Apple's device fingerprinting rules

#62

Post by someotherperson »

ajross wrote: post #15
gruez wrote: post #5

Original source, buried within the article: https://www.mysk.blog/2024/05/03/apple-required-reason-api/

Yeah, this is much clearer than The Register's attempt to summarize/explain/sensationalize it. And the meat seems... pretty bland. They caught a bunch of "plausibly fingerprinty"[1] tokens (that a reasonable interpretation of Apple policy would require being stored on the device) being sent unobfuscated in later requests. That looks a lot more like a genuine mistake by developers than a real attempt to evade tracking…

> That looks a lot more like a genuine mistake by developers

Can we please stop handing "assume good faith" to megacorps? That's something you grant to individuals, not to companies whose entire existence revolves around doing nefarious things like this. There are no genuine mistakes, there are exclusively bad faith actions that should be coupled with company-funded third party investigation and public disclosure to determine impact along with varying levels of prosecution wherever possible to act as both punishment and deterrent even if it turns out to be a genuine mistake.

Re: Google, Meta 'break' Apple's device fingerprinting rules

#63

Post by Rastonbury »

yosito wrote: post #36
ajross wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, this is much clearer than The Register's attempt to summarize/explain/sensationalize it. And the meat seems... pretty bland. They caught a bunch of "plausibly fingerprinty"[1] tokens (that a reasonable interpretation of Apple policy would require being stored on the device) being sent unobfuscated in later requests. That looks a lot more like a genuine mistake by developers than a real attempt to evade tracking…

Uptime might be somewhat ephemeral, but it can be a pretty clear signal to indicate that two different user profiles are actually the same person. For example, it would be a plausible explanation for why even when I took several steps to hide my identity when creating a new Meta account (new Safari profile, tracking blockers, VPN, anonymous email account, etc), Facebook immediately suggested all of the contacts from…

Did you use a different device and phone number or friend a mutual friend/yourself or allow contact access? That hasn't been my experience having 2 Meta accounts

Re: Google, Meta 'break' Apple's device fingerprinting rules

#64

Post by DEADMINCE »

SunlitCat wrote: post #4
firecall wrote: post #3

Well I never! Side note: I wonder how much harm Apple is doing to it's brand with it's Pious Attitude and Arrogant Behaviour? Even as a long time, but relatively small shareholder, I'm on the fence about Apple right now. I cant see the iPhone failing to lay golden eggs anytime soon. But the Apple Vision Pro feels like they took those golden eggs and gold platted a toilet seat. Tim Cook runs a tight shop, but he's bee…

[flagged]

> Just look at that ridiculous discussion about green text vs. blue text while messaging. People still use that as a marker for being cool vs. non cool in certain circles.

Only in the US. People are much more susceptible to corporate messaging here.

Re: Google, Meta 'break' Apple's device fingerprinting rules

#65

Post by DEADMINCE »

burnerthrow008 wrote: post #8
ipython wrote: post #2

I would believe this - after all how many billions of dollars did Google pay Apple to be the primary search engine on iOS? This further erodes my confidence in Apple doing the right thing and I think the EU is doing the world a service by setting in motion alternative app stores.

> I think the EU is doing the world a service by setting in motion alternative app stores. Why, so that developers can have absolutely no rules against abusing their users?

So people can actually have some control over the device they OWN.

Re: Google, Meta 'break' Apple's device fingerprinting rules

#66

Post by nozzlegear »

int_19h wrote: post #53
refulgentis wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cupertino, if you're listening, I'm not comfortable with the offset either, that would also do fine as an identifier.

You expect apps to have no access to a simple monotonic timer?

I expect Apple to figure out how to provide apps with such a timer in a way that also prevents them from having access to the system uptime.

Re: Google, Meta 'break' Apple's device fingerprinting rules

#67

Post by [deleted] »

Larrikin wrote: post #61
poochkoishi728 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Devil's advocate: People using Android accept (for whatever reason) a less fluid, subpar UI and UX, while iPhone users are less likely to tolerate it (by nature of not using Android). Thus, using an iPhone could actually suggest a more sophisticated sense of taste i.e. being cooler.

Material design is a better UI and UX experience and more thought out than iOS flat. iOS is more limiting overall which might be better for some users by providing less options. You can't install a virus, or any apps you want, if Cook doesn't approve it first. But complaining about design is a lazy complaint from 10 years ago when Samsung was fighting against a clearly better UI to differentiate its offering after Go…

[deleted]

Re: Google, Meta 'break' Apple's device fingerprinting rules

#68

Post by kernal »

voltaireodactyl wrote: post #33
kernal wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Devil’s brother advocate: People prefer using iOS over Android because they cannot handle having complete control over their UI and UX. They prefer having strict rules on what they can and cannot do and what apps they can and cannot use.

It’s a division of markets similar to the auto industry: you see tons of Camrys customized with after market parts, but very rarely a BMW/Lexus similarly tricked out.

Similarly BMW and Mercedes posers are notorious for sticking M and AMG badges on their cars. The badge doesn’t make the car go faster, but the perception that they belong to this elite club is worth it.

Re: Google, Meta 'break' Apple's device fingerprinting rules

#69

Post by int_19h »

nozzlegear wrote: post #66
int_19h wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You expect apps to have no access to a simple monotonic timer?

I expect Apple to figure out how to provide apps with such a timer in a way that also prevents them from having access to the system uptime.

If there's a random offset applied, how would they have access to the actual system uptime?

Re: Google, Meta 'break' Apple's device fingerprinting rules

#70

Post by firecall »

staplers wrote: post #20
firecall wrote: post #3

Well I never! Side note: I wonder how much harm Apple is doing to it's brand with it's Pious Attitude and Arrogant Behaviour? Even as a long time, but relatively small shareholder, I'm on the fence about Apple right now. I cant see the iPhone failing to lay golden eggs anytime soon. But the Apple Vision Pro feels like they took those golden eggs and gold platted a toilet seat. Tim Cook runs a tight shop, but he's bee…

Interesting to see this downvoted. I've been on Apple for over 15 years and feel exactly the same. The ice is getting a lot thinner and I've been looking at options how to move out of their ecosystem.

Yes, I thought so LOL

Lots of comments, but yet the downvotes! :-)

I guess I'm long past being on the internet for upvote points LOL

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