And the author of this piece has done none of the necessary research on this topic. Apple is investing heavily in mapping data. And Apple is still a business. If you want Apple to make bad...
But Apple has done none of these things
And the author of this piece has done none of the necessary research on this topic. Apple is investing heavily in mapping data. And Apple is still a business. If you want Apple to make bad business decisions to prevent bad actors from collecting data about users, then you don’t understand the fundamental issues at play. If Apple locked down their app stores even more than they already are, developers wouldn’t develop for the platforms and users would stop using iOS and macOS. And the Googles and Facebooks wouldn’t bat an eye. If you care about privacy, you can criticize Apple, but you shouldn’t want Apple to essentially exit the market. If they did, a lot more people would be a lot more vulnerable to predatory entities.
One thing I see that the article is ignoring is that if Apple took down Facebook or Messenger or anything else of the like there would be huge backlash by their customers who use those apps...
One thing I see that the article is ignoring is that if Apple took down Facebook or Messenger or anything else of the like there would be huge backlash by their customers who use those apps everyday. They'd likely lose a portion of their userbase and end up backpedaling on the decision before too long since fewer users=less money.
This was an interesting read for me because it actually changed my mind a bit. I started out with the at-least-they're-doing-something mindset but it became they-should-be-doing-much-more in the...
This was an interesting read for me because it actually changed my mind a bit. I started out with the at-least-they're-doing-something mindset but it became they-should-be-doing-much-more in the end. It really is a shame that we live in a world where at-least-they're-doing-something is the best we can hope for in so many cases.
On a side note I was quite surprised to see Gilfoyle wrote this article.
What would you have them do, though? FB is never going to change their business model because, well, it's their business model. Apple can't quite get rid of FB/IG without pissing users off and...
What would you have them do, though? FB is never going to change their business model because, well, it's their business model. Apple can't quite get rid of FB/IG without pissing users off and throwing them into the hands of Google's Android.
And Google is the best search engine there is, and is deeply ingrained into tech society. You don't "look things up" or "search" for things as much as you "google" them. I mean, the cheeky search site is called "Let Me Google That For You", not "Let Me Search..."
I think Apple finds itself in a catch-22, and all they can do right now is to continue to talk about Privacy in hopes of inspiring new attitudes in both developers and consumers.
I'm not disagreeing with you but then we're back to the ol' at least they're doing something, right? I don't know but I had my hopes up. It seems like no one can do anything because these giants...
I'm not disagreeing with you but then we're back to the ol' at least they're doing something, right?
I don't know but I had my hopes up. It seems like no one can do anything because these giants control every fucking thing and I fucking hate it. Now it's not enough to control and lock us down us with tech, now they have to control our minds/moods/opinions also. Where does it end? Where are the people who have the back bone (and sadly money) to stand up to this? I had my hopes up for maybe Apple but that was probably naive of me.
Apple can't stand up to this because there's no credible competition with Google and Facebook/IG. Standing up to them would basically be suicide for the brand. Apple is doing things, though, from...
Apple can't stand up to this because there's no credible competition with Google and Facebook/IG. Standing up to them would basically be suicide for the brand.
Apple is doing things, though, from giving talks about the issue, to standing up for your privacy where they can (e.g.: iOS doesn't spy on you - even if they allow, by necessity, apps that do). All of this is meant to raise awareness in the mind of the public.
Ultimately, however, the blame doesn't rest on these megabusinesses, but on the consumer. Don't get me wrong, the businesses should not be treating your data the way they do, but the consumer just doesn't give a shit. I'm talking about the consumer that doesn't mind if facebook is selling their info to ex-KGB Putin as long as they can go and post some anti-vax meme, or have some dramatic meltdown over an "it's complicated" status. The consumer that is blissfully unaware of why google is so good at selling things to them. The consumer that says "I've got nothing to hide." The consumer that shrugs when you tell them that their Android phone is spying on them (even if they don't use Chrome).
Ultimately it's the consumer that feeds the beast, and the consumer who must starve it.
I mean, Apple is pushing for increased regulation (or at least trumpeting about it). We're at the point that ecosystems are so entrenched and there is a such an inertia to move platforms that the...
I mean, Apple is pushing for increased regulation (or at least trumpeting about it). We're at the point that ecosystems are so entrenched and there is a such an inertia to move platforms that the fault can't exactly lie in the consumer.
Even for someone so involved in tech, it is rather difficult to avoid Google - what's the libre equivalent of Captcha? It's too easy for a web developer to use Google Analytics rather than self-host Piwik for inferior results - try explaining that one to management.
While I agree with you on the dev side (I'm really happy I'm no longer working in mobile dev, fuck that noise), let's recognize that is a whole different conversation than the one that's being had...
While I agree with you on the dev side (I'm really happy I'm no longer working in mobile dev, fuck that noise), let's recognize that is a whole different conversation than the one that's being had in this thread. The article slams Apple for basically allowing Google and Facebook to use its platform despite all the nefarious shit they may or may not be doing with your data, and for not policing them. The point I'm making is that this is on the consumer because if Apple pushes too hard to the point where FB/GOO apps disappear from the iOS ecosystem, the consumer will leave.
This is where I'm pinning the blame on the consumer for not valuing their privacy/data enough. I understand there's little the consumer and devs can do about external tracking, but likewise there's little Apple can do about that, as that is a problem on the tech/web landscape as a whole. Regardless, I believe that if consumers stand up and demand, with credible threat of boycott and abandonment, that these platforms change their policies in meaningful ways, this could not only change the way they treat directly-acquired data, but it may also impact the way external tracking works. Win-win.
Hopefully my answer makes sense (I'm procrastinating in the middle of a lousy workday).
I'm getting pretty tired of this argument because the people who really do care can't do shit about it like @name mentions. But that's OK because it's our own fault.
Ultimately it's the consumer that feeds the beast, and the consumer who must starve it.
I'm getting pretty tired of this argument because the people who really do care can't do shit about it like @name mentions. But that's OK because it's our own fault.
You can do something about it. Raise awareness. Talk to your friends. Spread the word. Try to educate others. Use the beast against itself: start a youtube channel, a facebook group, participate...
You can do something about it. Raise awareness. Talk to your friends. Spread the word. Try to educate others. Use the beast against itself: start a youtube channel, a facebook group, participate in activism. Tell people privacy is important and get them to understand.
There's lots you can do, but it's easier to sit at your computer and complain.
And the author of this piece has done none of the necessary research on this topic. Apple is investing heavily in mapping data. And Apple is still a business. If you want Apple to make bad business decisions to prevent bad actors from collecting data about users, then you don’t understand the fundamental issues at play. If Apple locked down their app stores even more than they already are, developers wouldn’t develop for the platforms and users would stop using iOS and macOS. And the Googles and Facebooks wouldn’t bat an eye. If you care about privacy, you can criticize Apple, but you shouldn’t want Apple to essentially exit the market. If they did, a lot more people would be a lot more vulnerable to predatory entities.
One thing I see that the article is ignoring is that if Apple took down Facebook or Messenger or anything else of the like there would be huge backlash by their customers who use those apps everyday. They'd likely lose a portion of their userbase and end up backpedaling on the decision before too long since fewer users=less money.
This was an interesting read for me because it actually changed my mind a bit. I started out with the at-least-they're-doing-something mindset but it became they-should-be-doing-much-more in the end. It really is a shame that we live in a world where at-least-they're-doing-something is the best we can hope for in so many cases.
On a side note I was quite surprised to see Gilfoyle wrote this article.
What would you have them do, though? FB is never going to change their business model because, well, it's their business model. Apple can't quite get rid of FB/IG without pissing users off and throwing them into the hands of Google's Android.
And Google is the best search engine there is, and is deeply ingrained into tech society. You don't "look things up" or "search" for things as much as you "google" them. I mean, the cheeky search site is called "Let Me Google That For You", not "Let Me Search..."
I think Apple finds itself in a catch-22, and all they can do right now is to continue to talk about Privacy in hopes of inspiring new attitudes in both developers and consumers.
I'm not disagreeing with you but then we're back to the ol' at least they're doing something, right?
I don't know but I had my hopes up. It seems like no one can do anything because these giants control every fucking thing and I fucking hate it. Now it's not enough to control and lock us down us with tech, now they have to control our minds/moods/opinions also. Where does it end? Where are the people who have the back bone (and sadly money) to stand up to this? I had my hopes up for maybe Apple but that was probably naive of me.
Apple can't stand up to this because there's no credible competition with Google and Facebook/IG. Standing up to them would basically be suicide for the brand.
Apple is doing things, though, from giving talks about the issue, to standing up for your privacy where they can (e.g.: iOS doesn't spy on you - even if they allow, by necessity, apps that do). All of this is meant to raise awareness in the mind of the public.
Ultimately, however, the blame doesn't rest on these megabusinesses, but on the consumer. Don't get me wrong, the businesses should not be treating your data the way they do, but the consumer just doesn't give a shit. I'm talking about the consumer that doesn't mind if facebook is selling their info to ex-KGB Putin as long as they can go and post some anti-vax meme, or have some dramatic meltdown over an "it's complicated" status. The consumer that is blissfully unaware of why google is so good at selling things to them. The consumer that says "I've got nothing to hide." The consumer that shrugs when you tell them that their Android phone is spying on them (even if they don't use Chrome).
Ultimately it's the consumer that feeds the beast, and the consumer who must starve it.
I mean, Apple is pushing for increased regulation (or at least trumpeting about it). We're at the point that ecosystems are so entrenched and there is a such an inertia to move platforms that the fault can't exactly lie in the consumer.
Even for someone so involved in tech, it is rather difficult to avoid Google - what's the libre equivalent of Captcha? It's too easy for a web developer to use Google Analytics rather than self-host Piwik for inferior results - try explaining that one to management.
While I agree with you on the dev side (I'm really happy I'm no longer working in mobile dev, fuck that noise), let's recognize that is a whole different conversation than the one that's being had in this thread. The article slams Apple for basically allowing Google and Facebook to use its platform despite all the nefarious shit they may or may not be doing with your data, and for not policing them. The point I'm making is that this is on the consumer because if Apple pushes too hard to the point where FB/GOO apps disappear from the iOS ecosystem, the consumer will leave.
This is where I'm pinning the blame on the consumer for not valuing their privacy/data enough. I understand there's little the consumer and devs can do about external tracking, but likewise there's little Apple can do about that, as that is a problem on the tech/web landscape as a whole. Regardless, I believe that if consumers stand up and demand, with credible threat of boycott and abandonment, that these platforms change their policies in meaningful ways, this could not only change the way they treat directly-acquired data, but it may also impact the way external tracking works. Win-win.
Hopefully my answer makes sense (I'm procrastinating in the middle of a lousy workday).
I'm getting pretty tired of this argument because the people who really do care can't do shit about it like @name mentions. But that's OK because it's our own fault.
You can do something about it. Raise awareness. Talk to your friends. Spread the word. Try to educate others. Use the beast against itself: start a youtube channel, a facebook group, participate in activism. Tell people privacy is important and get them to understand.
There's lots you can do, but it's easier to sit at your computer and complain.
I know, you're right and I actually do personally.