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If Apple is performing the searching of user private data due to pressure or incentive from the government it would make apple an agent of the government from t

by nullc 5y ago

If Apple is performing the searching of user private data due to pressure or incentive from the government it would make apple an agent of the government from the perspective of the fourth amendment. As such, these warrantless searches would be unlawful. If what you suggest were true, we should be even more angry with Apple: it would mean that rather than just lawfully invading their users privacy, that they were a participant in a conspiracy to violate the constitutional rights of hundreds of millions of Americans.

bequanna 5y ago
Americans, Chinese, Europeans, everyone. This is an equal-opportunity privacy rights violation. Investigatory and spy agencies around the world must be thrilled that this is moving forward. Of course, we’ll accept it and the dullest of us will even cheer it as “doing the right thing” while stating that they “have nothing to hide”.
politelemon 5y ago
The time to be angry with apple was years ago when they launched their false marketing campaign claiming privacy on their closed devices. A lot of people fell for it, and were happy to believe whatever they said. All the while they have been two-face-timing by turning over user data to governments (including the US and putting user data on Chinese servers) anyway, with the highest data turnover rates actually. Everyone was happy to turn a blind eye to these happenings as long as it didn't affect them. We should be angry with _ourselves_. What's happening now is that this has hit closer to a lot more people, who are now dissecting every detail, blaming others, performing mental gymnastics, and launching 'open letters' so that their brand identity and perceptions aren't proven wrong. Convincing them to roll back their recent changes will not somehow make Apple devices private, when it was never private to begin with.
- SCUSKU 5y ago
  What can I, as an individual, do to protect my digital privacy then? Would that mean ditching the Apple ecosystem, and going full linux laptop & phone? As much as I would love to buy a pinephone, they just don't seem like a truly viable alternative...
  - istingray 5y ago
    There's been a few relevant threads on how to switch. I have these two handy since I started them: Non-surveillance phones: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28164208 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28164208 Non-surveillance laptops: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28216287 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28216287
    - SCUSKU 5y ago
      Thank you! These are both great posts.
- istingray 5y ago
  I've seen this argument before. Yes, perhaps I could have switched my OS back then. I don't really buy the implication though. "The time to be angry is years ago"; "We should be angry with ourselves". If these are true, what are you saying? That we should suck it up and be quiet? That we missed our chance and need to deal with it? Fairly sure this is one of those logical fallacies used on young children who forgot to use the bathroom before a long road trip.

by nullc 5y ago

bequanna 5y ago

Americans, Chinese, Europeans, everyone. This is an equal-opportunity privacy rights violation. Investigatory and spy agencies around the world must be thrilled that this is moving forward. Of course, we’ll accept it and the dullest of us will even cheer it as “doing the right thing” while stating that they “have nothing to hide”.

politelemon 5y ago

The time to be angry with apple was years ago when they launched their false marketing campaign claiming privacy on their closed devices. A lot of people fell for it, and were happy to believe whatever they said. All the while they have been two-face-timing by turning over user data to governments (including the US and putting user data on Chinese servers) anyway, with the highest data turnover rates actually. Everyone was happy to turn a blind eye to these happenings as long as it didn't affect them. We should be angry with _ourselves_. What's happening now is that this has hit closer to a lot more people, who are now dissecting every detail, blaming others, performing mental gymnastics, and launching 'open letters' so that their brand identity and perceptions aren't proven wrong. Convincing them to roll back their recent changes will not somehow make Apple devices private, when it was never private to begin with.

SCUSKU 5y ago
What can I, as an individual, do to protect my digital privacy then? Would that mean ditching the Apple ecosystem, and going full linux laptop & phone? As much as I would love to buy a pinephone, they just don't seem like a truly viable alternative...
- istingray 5y ago
  There's been a few relevant threads on how to switch. I have these two handy since I started them: Non-surveillance phones: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28164208 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28164208 Non-surveillance laptops: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28216287 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28216287
  - SCUSKU 5y ago
    Thank you! These are both great posts.
istingray 5y ago
I've seen this argument before. Yes, perhaps I could have switched my OS back then. I don't really buy the implication though. "The time to be angry is years ago"; "We should be angry with ourselves". If these are true, what are you saying? That we should suck it up and be quiet? That we missed our chance and need to deal with it? Fairly sure this is one of those logical fallacies used on young children who forgot to use the bathroom before a long road trip.