This is about a request used to report a click in the app store, which is technically specified in the privacy policy [1] and you can get a CSV of it from Apple in data requests. This is the subject of a class action filed earlier this month [2].<p>While I think Apple's data collection within its apps is excessive, the only thing the researchers achieve by conflating it with device analytics is giving tech media an "Apple Lies!" headline cycle. People should be informed about how these analytics/surveillance systems work and how to effectively navigate and counter them, not be sold paranoia and the idea that the settings are always lying. They're misleading you with marketing, sure, but the truth in this case is written plainly in the prompt that pops up the first time you open the app store.<p>[1] <a href="https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/data/en/app-store/" rel="nofollow">https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/data/en/app-store/</a>, "We use information about your browsing, purchases, searches, and downloads. These records are stored with IP address, a random unique identifier (where that arises), and Apple ID"<p>[2] <a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/apple-hit-with-class-action-over-tracking-of-mobile-app-activity" rel="nofollow">https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/apple-hit-with-clas...</a>
I'm not one to jump infront of a bus for the big company, but the "testing" being reported on here is so incredibly lacking.<p>- Single proof via a single device on a single OS version from a single API response.<p>- Claim on the latest version it is doing the same, but can't prove it. Just that requests are being sent when you interact with the application(ok?)<p>...And that's it.<p>I don't know the state of the jailbreaking scene, but a quick search seems to indicate that throughout 14.X and 15.X could have been checked, but they haven't. Would happily take this more seriously when reporting of issues is more sufficent. (or others proving more proof)
The actual claims via Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/mysk_co/status/1594515229915979776" rel="nofollow">https://twitter.com/mysk_co/status/1594515229915979776</a><p>I wonder what log they got this from; i'm scrubbing through both my latest `Analytics-X.ips.ca.synced` files and `AppStore-X.ips` file and can't find dsId. This is even with every 'Share Analytics' checkbox ticked in settings, besides Improve Health Records. Unfortunately the name of that log file is cropped out.
It wasn't true even without the unique identifier, Apple can always correlated all the other data they sent to their servers to identified you.<p>Most people thing of anonymity like a boolean when is most like a gradient, for example, Tor not only needs onion routing, it also need to to present each user to the net alike, that is why they configure their version of firefox in a specific way and even a simple thing like changing the resolution of the window make you less anonymous. Even in perfect conditions you still vulnerable to correlation attacks and if you are the US, you can probably just use network flow data to deanonymize an user, obviously to do it the resources and implications would be enormous.<p>In the end is just a gradient of being anonymous to who? The ad conglomerate? A big state?<p>It would be literally impossible with a standard iphone to be anonymous to Apple, is just PR by Apple.
I'm honestly surprised we aren't seeing these big tech companies have an arms race with respect to homomorphic encryption. Since you can perform computations on the encrypted data itself this appears to be the best of both worlds: anonymous and still able to pull big data. Probably won't be able to serve as personalized ads, but from what I'm aware, the big data is far more important than the direct targeting.<p>I know Meta is betting big on the Metaverse, but it's also wild to me that they similarly don't bet big here and keep their ad infrastructure.<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homomorphic_encryption" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homomorphic_encryption</a><p><a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32987155" rel="nofollow">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32987155</a>
Why the ... I need to buy a pixel and install a niche operating system like GrapheneOS or CalyxOS to be at least a little safe with my privacy :/<p>btw. GrapheneOS is great!
Related:<p><i>Proposed class action alleges that Apple tracks users despite privacy assurances</i> - <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33593455" rel="nofollow">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33593455</a> - Nov 2022 (191 comments)<p><i>App Store on iOS 14.6 sends every tap you make in the app to Apple</i> - <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33520775" rel="nofollow">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33520775</a> - Nov 2022 (190 comments)
We need other researchers to duplicate this before it holds any weight. That said, I would also really like to know whether Mysk holds any AAPL short positions or put contracts.
Why was the title changed away from the article headline? Few people know what a DSID is before reading the article so this seems designed to deliberately bury the lead.
[2022-11-15] Louis Rossman - "Apple SUED for privacy violations; iOS collects invasive analytics even if you opt out." - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=016QGxOsjQY" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=016QGxOsjQY</a> [11 min]
I wouldn't be surprised if regardless of the methods users it can't truly be anonymous since that defeats the purpose. Even just compliance would result in resolvable data since you need to be able to request a copy of the data.
Usually if there was actual guilty behavior, someone involved would shrink away quietly. Have any high-up Apple people, for instance, disabled their Twitter accounts since this was first revealed on Twitter? No.
Apple is fundamentally transforming into an advertising company. The difference between them and ad companies such as Google is that, with Apple, advertising is baked into almost every single product.<p>Every time you open the App store, you're opening a giant garden of advertisements. These ads are extremely lucrative to Apple. Every time you update the OS, it prompts you with ads to sign up with more services. Every time you open Apple News, the same thing happens: you're bombarded with ads to sign up for a premium subscription. When I still had an Apple laptop, it would constantly give me a popup asking me to signup for iCloud, even though I hadn't consciously ever used it.<p>At nearly every turn, engaging with Apple software leads to profitable ads for Apple. (Usually in the form of direct subscriptions, or commission based advertising.)<p>What do ad companies love? User data! This is as true for Apple as it is for Google. The difference: Apple has an <i>iron grip</i> on their advertisements like no other company in the world. This gives them the tools that let them <i>pretend</i> they're not an ad company. They are.