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Apple and Privacy issues

I've been an Apple guy since the beginning, always felt smug about how reliable their platform was and how Apple treated customers with respect and honored the highest standards of privacy.

Lately there has been a growing problem with Apple, probably some of you using Apple for music or movies know about this but seems most do not.

For instance, the new Apple (Safari) browser will load Google track cookies even if you choose Ixquick (private browser) as primary and Yahoo as backup.

This occurs if Safari is loaded and UNUSED in 15 minutes or less. In other words there is an autoload of Google track cookies before you use the browser or visit any web site.

I searched forums at Apple and other computer sites and there are a few people aware of this. Seems it occurred in the last 30 days or so via automated updates of system and Safari browser software.

Worse still, the latest version of Apple system software (Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard) DOES NOT allow removal of Google cookies, even via security tab when you select and press delete.

As if that were not enough, the CIA and Google are building a massive network to track all internet traffic. They refer to it as "Predictive Analytics."

I'm an honest person, nothing to hide but I resent the attack on privacy this represents. I'll continue to use Ixquick and have switched to Firefox as my primary browser and removed Safari from my menu bar.

Never thought I would see the day I griped about Apple, I've never owned anything else and now they are looking worse than Microsoft with their privacy snooping.

Google/CIA
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Showing 2 responses by mapman

mapman's avatar
mapman
21,823 posts
 
Interesting.

Apple does what is best for Apple.

Not that other competitors do not as well, but the proprietary nature of Apple technology has always led me to steer clear as much as possible.

"Predictive Analytics" means that the data will be mined for patterns of behavior of interest to whoever is doing the "mining". Like most things, that info can be used or abused.

I use Mozilla exclusively in that is an open source browser where many parties have more of a skin in the game. That helps to deter or at least delay potential abuses of the technology, or at least that is what one would hope for.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,823 posts
 
i have done web and predictive analytic marketing projects as part of my work. as performed normally bymost private companies, they are harmless to the individual consumer and used mostly to better determine target groups that may be more receptive to marketing initiatives.

as i indicatedearlier,any techno
ogy can be used or abused so it is right to be concerned about what information is out there and how it may be used.
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