Linked by Thom Holwerda on Fri 12th Oct 2012 11:35 UTC
Surprise, surprise - Apple, by default, tracks web browsing behaviour and location to better serve you ads. You have to specifically opt out of this tracking per individual iOS device that you own. Now we know why Apple has no problem with turning on 'Do Not Track' and not accepting tracking cookies by default: it has no effect on them whatsoever, because iOS 6 has its own independent user tracking mechanisms. Unlike what the Apple pundits claim, it's got nothing to do with respect for user privacy at all. Well paint me red and call me a girl scout: company selling ads tracks user behaviour. Shocker, huh?
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RE[2]: Selective tech amnesia
by steventroughtonsmith on Fri 12th Oct 2012 12:20
in reply to "RE: Selective tech amnesia"
Member since:2012-05-06
iOS has an ad system; you see ads in apps. The two options are:
• See ads that have absolutely no relevance to you
• See ads that you might actually like
There is no utopic third option.
I'll keep tracking on, thank you very much.
(Also note that iAd is only available in a handful of countries: USA, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, and Canada.)
RE[3]: Selective tech amnesia
by Thom_Holwerda on Fri 12th Oct 2012 12:25
in reply to "RE[2]: Selective tech amnesia"
Member since:2005-06-29
RE[3]: Selective tech amnesia
by TechGeek on Fri 12th Oct 2012 17:51
in reply to "RE[2]: Selective tech amnesia"
Member since:2006-01-14
RE[3]: Selective tech amnesia
by WorknMan on Fri 12th Oct 2012 21:23
in reply to "RE[2]: Selective tech amnesia"
Member since:2005-11-13
• See ads that have absolutely no relevance to you
• See ads that you might actually like
There is no utopic third option.
• See ads that you might actually like
There is no utopic third option.
Actually, there is - don't install apps with ads - or if you're rooted/jailbroken, install an ad blocker. Problem solved. Not that I want everything for free... I'll gladly pay for an app I like, if the developer gives me the option as an alternative to adware. If not? F**k 'em
For me, it's not the tracking that pisses me off, but the advertising; the only reason they want to track you is so they can serve you up relevant ads. But if you can eliminate most/all the ways they have to advertise to you, then you essentially cut them off at the knees, and all their tracking is a waste of time. I have an ad-blocker installed on my Android phone. Thus, I get zero ads, so they're more than welcome to waste their time tracking me. In fact, I hope they do
Edited 2012-10-12 21:25 UTC
RE[3]: Selective tech amnesia
by UltraZelda64 on Fri 12th Oct 2012 21:53
in reply to "RE[2]: Selective tech amnesia"
Member since:2006-12-05
iOS has an ad system; you see ads in apps. The two options are:
• See ads that have absolutely no relevance to you
• See ads that you might actually like
• See ads that have absolutely no relevance to you
• See ads that you might actually like
Me? Like ads? What kind of fantasy land are you living in? Just seeing or even hearing an ad does nothing but piss me off. It's just another reason to never touch an Apple product again. They impressed and tempted me at one time a few years ago with Mac OS X, but damn, I'm glad I've never bought any of their hardware. They make the old, super-monopolistic Microsoft of the 90s look like nothing more than an annoying little flea.
Not that Microsoft isn't still playing at their old games, but at least they seem to try to hide it and be subtle about it. The worst thing Microsoft's done recently is decide that with their godly powers all ARM machines shipping with Windows (read: virtually all of them) will be forbidden from running an OS that is not blessed by them. Apple... wow, the list goes on.
Apple is like the Microsoft of the 90s, but potentially much, much worse.
RE[2]: Selective tech amnesia
by Headrush on Fri 12th Oct 2012 14:10
in reply to "RE: Selective tech amnesia"
Member since:2006-01-03
It's also worth noting how many smart phones users couldn't care less about tracking for ad purposes.
The problem is users, even when informed don't know, don't care, or don't understand some of the implications by allowing companies and governments to use these tracking/snooping tools.
RE[2]: Selective tech amnesia
by kovacm on Fri 12th Oct 2012 21:14
in reply to "RE: Selective tech amnesia"
Member since:2010-12-16
Yup, but ask yourself: how many users are aware of this? Heck, how many people here were aware of the fact Apple tracks you in the first place? With all the talk from the Apple pundits about how Apple hates tracking and about how tracking is evil and about how Apple is so into protecting user's privacy, you'd think Apple wouldn't do this.
LOL!
tryo to listen interview with Eric Schmidt
http://new.livestream.com/accounts/1249127/events/1589787
and than come back to talk about privacy!!
RE[2]: Selective tech amnesia
by jessesmith on Sat 13th Oct 2012 00:57
in reply to "RE: Selective tech amnesia"
Member since:2010-03-11
I don't think I've ever heard anyone claim Apple doesn't track people or that they are in support of privacy. In fact, given all the stories about tracking iDevices, backdoors and ads and such I would think it was pretty obvious Apple tracks its customers.
Still, some people miss it the first dozen times around so I guess it's good OSNews to joining the chorus in warning people about how private iOS is not.
Features
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/13/13 14:35 UTC
The third and final WWDC product I want to talk about is - of course - OS X 10.9 Mavericks. While iOS 7 was clearly the focus of this year's WWDC, its venerable desktop counterpart certainly wasn't left behind. Apple announced OS X 10.9 Mavericks, the first OS X release not to carry the name of a big cat.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/11/13 17:07 UTC
We already talked about iOS 7 yesterday (after a night of sleep, it's only looking worse and worse - look at this, for Fiona's sake!), so now it's time to talk about the downright stunning and belly flutters-inducing new Mac Pro. As former owner and huge, huge, huge fan of the PowerMac G4 Cube - I haven't been this excited about an Apple product since, well, I would say the iMac G4. This is the Apple I used to love.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/10/13 23:13 UTC
Apple held its big keynote event thing at WWDC earlier this evening, but since I was away with friends I've had to read up on it later in the evening. The company announced iOS 7, OS X 10.9 Mavericks, and they gave a preview of the new Mac Pro. Especially the Mac Pro impressed me, and while iOS 7's new Holo/Metro-inspired theme looks messy and garish to me, I do commend Apple for finally breaking the mold. This news item will focus on iOS 7 - I'll dive into the Mac Pro and OS X 10.9 tomorrow (it's late here now).
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/08/13 14:57 UTC
And yes, the PRISM scandal is far, far from over. More and more information keeps leaking out, and the more gets out, the worse it gets. The companies involved have sent out official statements - often by mouth of their CEOs - and what's interesting is that not only are these official statements eerily similar to each other, using the same terms clearly designed by lawyers, they also directly contradict new reports from The New York Times. So, who is lying?
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/07/13 11:40 UTC
This story is getting bigger and bigger. Even though most Americans probably already knew, it is now official: the United States government, through its National Security Agency, is collecting the communications and data of all American citizens, and of non-Americans using American services, through a wide collaboration with the large companies in technology, like Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and so on. Interestingly enough, the NSA itself, as well as the US government, have repeatedly and firmly denied this massive spying on Americans and non-Americans took place at all.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/04/13 12:45 UTC
Ah, patents - the never-ending scourge of the technology industry. Whether wielded by companies who don't actually make any products, or large corporations who abuse them because they can't compete in the market place or because they're simply jerks, they do the industry a huge disservice and are simply plain dangerous. According to The Wall Street Journal (circumvention link), president Obama is about to take several executive actions to address patent trolls - which may seem like a good idea, but I am very worried that all this will do is strengthen the positions of notorious patent system abusers such as Apple and Microsoft.
Linked by nfeske on 05/31/13 10:12 UTC
With version 13.05, the developers of the Genode OS Framework take measures to ensure that Genode continues to scale well with a growing number of users and the steadily broadening platform coverage. Further highlights are the improved SoC support for Exynos 5, OMAP4, Raspberry Pi, i.MX, and new components for realizing headless systems.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/29/13 16:59 UTC
At the D11 conference, Apple CEO Tim Cook once again took the stage to be interviewed by Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher. While most of the interview can be replicated by picking and reading 10 random Apple fanblog stories - there were still a number of very interesting things that warrant some closer scrutiny.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/24/13 17:26 UTC
So, the Xbox One disaster continues. Microsoft's policy for dealing with the used games market has reportedly leaked - and it's a clear and direct attack to destroy the used games market. Prices for used games will be set at the retail value of a new game, and retailers have to hook into Microsoft's computer systems and comply with Microsoft's terms and conditions.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/21/13 21:38 UTC
At an event earlier today, Microsoft unveiled the next Xbox - the third model, but confusingly named Xbox One. The big focus was TV, integrated Kinect, and all the other stuff we all expected to be forced down our throats. I think it took them 25 minutes to actually come to what should be the core of the story: gaming. Nothing groundbreaking in the gaming department, except for how Microsoft intends to handle the used games market and borrowing games from friends: pay up, buddy!More Features »
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Member since:
2005-06-29
Yup, but ask yourself: how many users are aware of this? Heck, how many people here were aware of the fact Apple tracks you in the first place? With all the talk from the Apple pundits about how Apple hates tracking and about how tracking is evil and about how Apple is so into protecting user's privacy, you'd think Apple wouldn't do this.
And yet they do. That is news to me, and considering how this story has been around the web these past few days, it's news to a lot of people. It puts to rest all those silly arguments about Apple turning on DNT by default and blocking cookies because they respect privacy - they only do it because it doesn't affect them and because it hurts competitors.
If Apple really cared about privacy, they would turn off their own tracking by default, instead of forcing you to opt out every iOS device you own. It delightfully exposes the hypocrisy of people like Gruber and Siegler.
Edited 2012-10-12 12:10 UTC