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Apple provides the new “DeviceCheck” framework in iOS 11 to give Uber a “legal” way to do this: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/devicecheck https://de
by geoffpado 9y ago
Apple provides the new “DeviceCheck” framework in iOS 11 to give Uber a “legal” way to do this: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/devicecheck https://developer.apple.com/documentation/devicecheck
It allows them to set a bit that permanently “marks” your phone, across installs, while protecting the user from the issues of fingerprinting. In fact, they explicitly call this out as an intended use of the new framework:
> You might use this data to identify devices that have already taken advantage of a promotional offer that you provide, or to flag a device that you've determined to be fraudulent.
Not to say they aren’t still doing something shady, but it’s at least theoretically possible they aren’t.
- jamesmishra 9y agoFormer Uber engineer here. AFAIK this is the right answer. Uber uses fingerprinting to prevent large-scale fraud--smartphones used to load thousands of Uber accounts for the purposes of money laundering or testing stolen credit cards. On a smaller scale, fingerprinting can be used to make sure that "New Account" related promotions aren't given out to folks abusing the system. So no, nothing shady is going on. Device fingerprinting here is being used to prevent others from doing shady or fraudulent stuff.
- BillinghamJ 9y agoUnless Uber had already identified him as fraudulent, or he attempted to use a sign-up promotion again (and this is considered fraudulent) AND Uber are actually using DeviceCheck for exactly those two purposes, then this is not the correct answer.
- sidchilling 9y agoBut, in my case, isn't this the wrong use of DeviceCheck-ing? Why is it not allowed by Uber's policies that a user get a new phone number and make a new Uber account? How is that fraudulent? I tried explaining the same to the Uber support, but they aren't ready to listen and keep replying with the same canned messages.
- tedmiston 9y agoI wonder if the bit is cleared by doing a full wipe.