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Finally. I wish third-party analytics would be next. A lot of apps are using analytics from companies who’s business model is inherently incompatible with priv

Finally. I wish third-party analytics would be next. A lot of apps are using analytics from companies who’s business model is inherently incompatible with privacy (Facebook & Google) and that concerns me.

MBCook 8y ago
The speculation is this is GDPR motivates, hopefully it will cause a crackdown on that stuff too. The fact Apple added a framework to help with analytics (IIRC) may be the first step towards REQUIRING people to only use that framework instead of 3rd party stuff so they can be sure it’s compliant with laws/Apple’s policies as well.
- Fradow 8y ago
  GDPR doesn't regulate anonymous data. Unless you put PII in your analytics (not the default, and you really shouldn't) you won't have a problem. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure part of Google Analytics response to GDPR is "Don't put PII in there if you want to be GDPR compliant" (they are providing tools for compliance though).
  - Rjevski 8y ago
    The problem is anonymous data is an ambiguous term, as enough randomness in the “anonymous” data can still uniquely identify that individual. Let’s take YouTube for example - I never had an account with them, yet they recommend me videos based on what I watched previously - fair enough. The creepy part is, on a totally different machine, from a different IP and country, watching just a few very specific videos (not popular at all, each maybe 2k views) suddenly brings all those suggestions over. You could argue videos watched is anonymous data, but clearly a certain, unique “series” of videos is apparently enough to identify me. There’s also no doubt Google associates that with all the other “anonymous” data they have on me (search, maps & which browsers/IPs I used) and has an extremely detailed profile of me; sure, they don’t have my name nor exact address (yet), but they can definitely tell me apart from everyone else just based on a few searches and that’s quite creepy IMO.
    - vsl 8y ago
      You’re jumping to unwarranted conclusions. A more reasonable explanation is simply that the unpopular videos you watched triggered recommendations similar to them, and based only on them - and that being what you typically watch no your other computer, the result was familiar to you.
      - Rjevski 8y ago
        I’ve thought about it but no, some of the recommended videos have zero link to the other ones, the only link is my “shadow profile” or whatever Google calls it. Tell me how a video about wasp pest control (had a wasp nest issue about a year ago, that was a fun experience) has anything to do with what I usually watch which is electronics (mainly EEVBlog), car repair, etc? The “other computer” doesn’t actually exist, it was a test in an AWS VM that was only used once to prove/disprove my theory, so no way for them to have associated that computer or IP to me in advance.
  - codetrotter 8y ago
    > As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure part of Google Analytics response to GDPR is "Don't put PII in there if you want to be GDPR compliant" Not only that, Google says they will terminate any account that puts PII in Analytics.
mkirklions 8y ago
Facebook is a bit much, they are a gigantic company that can spend the time and look into your analytics and years of posting data. However, an app that collects data at best is getting your location and stereotype.
- acdha 8y ago
  Location seems like an awful lot: think about what analysis would show about the places you visit and who is there at the same time. Sure, going to the supermarket probably isn’t that interesting but what about a political rally, gay bar, family planning clinic, law firm which specializes in divorce or labor lawsuits, etc.?
UncleMeat 8y ago
Should all developers be required to write analytics themselves?
- princekolt 8y ago
  Apple could require the analytics reporting to be opt-in.
- s73v3r_ 8y ago
  There are a few analytics solutions that are self-hosted.
- tzahola 8y ago
  Not my problem.
samfriedman 8y ago
If third-party analytics is nixed, the same companies will just switch to a consulting model that lets them set up analytics for app authors in-house, making it first-party.

MBCook 8y ago

The speculation is this is GDPR motivates, hopefully it will cause a crackdown on that stuff too. The fact Apple added a framework to help with analytics (IIRC) may be the first step towards REQUIRING people to only use that framework instead of 3rd party stuff so they can be sure it’s compliant with laws/Apple’s policies as well.

Fradow 8y ago
GDPR doesn't regulate anonymous data. Unless you put PII in your analytics (not the default, and you really shouldn't) you won't have a problem. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure part of Google Analytics response to GDPR is "Don't put PII in there if you want to be GDPR compliant" (they are providing tools for compliance though).
- Rjevski 8y ago
  The problem is anonymous data is an ambiguous term, as enough randomness in the “anonymous” data can still uniquely identify that individual. Let’s take YouTube for example - I never had an account with them, yet they recommend me videos based on what I watched previously - fair enough. The creepy part is, on a totally different machine, from a different IP and country, watching just a few very specific videos (not popular at all, each maybe 2k views) suddenly brings all those suggestions over. You could argue videos watched is anonymous data, but clearly a certain, unique “series” of videos is apparently enough to identify me. There’s also no doubt Google associates that with all the other “anonymous” data they have on me (search, maps & which browsers/IPs I used) and has an extremely detailed profile of me; sure, they don’t have my name nor exact address (yet), but they can definitely tell me apart from everyone else just based on a few searches and that’s quite creepy IMO.
  - vsl 8y ago
    You’re jumping to unwarranted conclusions. A more reasonable explanation is simply that the unpopular videos you watched triggered recommendations similar to them, and based only on them - and that being what you typically watch no your other computer, the result was familiar to you.
    - Rjevski 8y ago
      I’ve thought about it but no, some of the recommended videos have zero link to the other ones, the only link is my “shadow profile” or whatever Google calls it. Tell me how a video about wasp pest control (had a wasp nest issue about a year ago, that was a fun experience) has anything to do with what I usually watch which is electronics (mainly EEVBlog), car repair, etc? The “other computer” doesn’t actually exist, it was a test in an AWS VM that was only used once to prove/disprove my theory, so no way for them to have associated that computer or IP to me in advance.
- codetrotter 8y ago
  > As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure part of Google Analytics response to GDPR is "Don't put PII in there if you want to be GDPR compliant" Not only that, Google says they will terminate any account that puts PII in Analytics.

mkirklions 8y ago

Facebook is a bit much, they are a gigantic company that can spend the time and look into your analytics and years of posting data. However, an app that collects data at best is getting your location and stereotype.

acdha 8y ago
Location seems like an awful lot: think about what analysis would show about the places you visit and who is there at the same time. Sure, going to the supermarket probably isn’t that interesting but what about a political rally, gay bar, family planning clinic, law firm which specializes in divorce or labor lawsuits, etc.?

UncleMeat 8y ago

Should all developers be required to write analytics themselves?

princekolt 8y ago
Apple could require the analytics reporting to be opt-in.
s73v3r_ 8y ago
There are a few analytics solutions that are self-hosted.
tzahola 8y ago
Not my problem.

samfriedman 8y ago

If third-party analytics is nixed, the same companies will just switch to a consulting model that lets them set up analytics for app authors in-house, making it first-party.