4 ms·

Google tracks 39 types of personal data, Apple tracks 12

16 points by orionion 4y ago

bfrog 4y ago
I would like it to be zero. Zero types tracked.
- ls15 4y ago
  Or at least make it mandatory to have written permission (on paper and signed) from every person they track for every type of personal data that they track. Tracking without such consent should lead to exorbitant fines.
rufus_foreman 4y ago
My question is simple, can I use an Apple computer without Apple knowing who I am? If I can't, then I don't want to use their hardware, software, or services. I already know that I don't want to use Google's hardware, software, or services. But can I buy a MacBook, give Apple no personal information, and use that MacBook for years, getting updates and upgrades, installing whatever software I want, without giving them any clue as to who I am? Don't know but I suspect the answer is no.
- theonemind 4y ago
  Good question. I think the real hitch comes in using the App Store for updates. You can download Mac updates: https://support.apple.com/downloads/macos https://support.apple.com/downloads/macos They have quite a privacy policy: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/ https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/ Which makes me think of Paul Graham's essay when he says "Lucy, you've got a lot explaining to do!" http://www.paulgraham.com/hp.html http://www.paulgraham.com/hp.html . I don't think you can pay on the App store without a credit card. Most top tier Mac developers have their software available for purchase outside of the app store, but it'll certainly get tied to your hardware IDs. Providing false information probably technically violates the terms of service, but I haven't checked. You can probably use gift cards and fake information. I'd say maybe possible, depending on how you construe the problem. It beats Windows, but if you care that much about privacy, you'd have to use an ethics (freedom) motivated OS. Microsoft certainly wants you to create an account to install Windows and seems pretty motivated to get something going with tracking you. I've started considering running Linux on M1. I don't think you have to compromise your privacy more than anywhere else to buy Mac hardware, per se. I think you have to separate the hardware issue from the software issue, although the Mac platform seems a bit less compelling if you just want to install Linux/FreeBSD/whatever.
  - rufus_foreman 4y ago
    Appreciate the response, "if you care that much about privacy, you'd have to use an ethics (freedom) motivated OS" We all know what the OS is going to be with my requirements. Just, do I get to use first rate hardware to run it, or second rate, or trash. Apple is first rate hardware.
    - ibraheemdev 4y ago
      https://asahilinux.org/ https://asahilinux.org/ is looking very promising
FridayoLeary 4y ago
>"Most people do not have the time or patience to read privacy policies that can be several pages long for each website they visit," said StockApps.com's Edith Reads. >"As a result, users end up allowing Google to harvest all the data they need by agreeing to the privacy policy terms." The implied notion that users have any other option but to agree to any arbitrary t&c is laughable. What are you going to do? Brick your iPhone/android/tv/smart device, never use Amazon FB etc, etc?
lapcat 4y ago
"Please submit the original source. If a post reports on something found on another site, submit the latter." https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html AppleInsider is just copying MacRumors, which is copying StockApps, which is copying Digital Information World, which is copying security.org https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32592713 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32592713
Magufn 4y ago
Only 12?

16 points by orionion 4y ago

bfrog 4y ago

I would like it to be zero. Zero types tracked.

ls15 4y ago
Or at least make it mandatory to have written permission (on paper and signed) from every person they track for every type of personal data that they track. Tracking without such consent should lead to exorbitant fines.

rufus_foreman 4y ago

My question is simple, can I use an Apple computer without Apple knowing who I am? If I can't, then I don't want to use their hardware, software, or services. I already know that I don't want to use Google's hardware, software, or services. But can I buy a MacBook, give Apple no personal information, and use that MacBook for years, getting updates and upgrades, installing whatever software I want, without giving them any clue as to who I am? Don't know but I suspect the answer is no.

theonemind 4y ago
Good question. I think the real hitch comes in using the App Store for updates. You can download Mac updates: https://support.apple.com/downloads/macos https://support.apple.com/downloads/macos They have quite a privacy policy: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/ https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/ Which makes me think of Paul Graham's essay when he says "Lucy, you've got a lot explaining to do!" http://www.paulgraham.com/hp.html http://www.paulgraham.com/hp.html . I don't think you can pay on the App store without a credit card. Most top tier Mac developers have their software available for purchase outside of the app store, but it'll certainly get tied to your hardware IDs. Providing false information probably technically violates the terms of service, but I haven't checked. You can probably use gift cards and fake information. I'd say maybe possible, depending on how you construe the problem. It beats Windows, but if you care that much about privacy, you'd have to use an ethics (freedom) motivated OS. Microsoft certainly wants you to create an account to install Windows and seems pretty motivated to get something going with tracking you. I've started considering running Linux on M1. I don't think you have to compromise your privacy more than anywhere else to buy Mac hardware, per se. I think you have to separate the hardware issue from the software issue, although the Mac platform seems a bit less compelling if you just want to install Linux/FreeBSD/whatever.
- rufus_foreman 4y ago
  Appreciate the response, "if you care that much about privacy, you'd have to use an ethics (freedom) motivated OS" We all know what the OS is going to be with my requirements. Just, do I get to use first rate hardware to run it, or second rate, or trash. Apple is first rate hardware.
  - ibraheemdev 4y ago
    https://asahilinux.org/ https://asahilinux.org/ is looking very promising

FridayoLeary 4y ago

>"Most people do not have the time or patience to read privacy policies that can be several pages long for each website they visit," said StockApps.com's Edith Reads. >"As a result, users end up allowing Google to harvest all the data they need by agreeing to the privacy policy terms." The implied notion that users have any other option but to agree to any arbitrary t&c is laughable. What are you going to do? Brick your iPhone/android/tv/smart device, never use Amazon FB etc, etc?

lapcat 4y ago

"Please submit the original source. If a post reports on something found on another site, submit the latter." https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html AppleInsider is just copying MacRumors, which is copying StockApps, which is copying Digital Information World, which is copying security.org https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32592713 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32592713

Magufn 4y ago

Only 12?