I understand the need to keep dredging up news to keep the hits gong but do you really have to report every frivolous Ambulance chaser? These particular litigants even acknowledged that Apple's terms of service allows location tracking as they laughably stated, "Apple should have had a "single sentence disclosure" rather than adding a line to a lengthy terms of service."
At least they ask you about sending data on Android. I'm sure Apple OS doesn't have anything like that. I wouldn't touch Apple iPhone even if they paid me also.
Not in any way that actually explains what they are doing. The biggest difference is that Apple is not sending the data anywhere in any personally identifiable form, whereas Google is.
In case you did not know, most good browsers give you the option.
Yes I know and I do use private browsing and auto clear cache etc in some circumstances. Just pointing out that the default behavior for most browsers for years had been about as secure with your private data as a folder full of papers laying on a park bench labeled "DO NOT READ"
so what do we need now - a 3 day waiting period before you can buy a smartphone and a thousand question survey to determine to what features you agree to use and which you do not - and annual continuing education to ensure that you are aware of changes to the device.
That's not my understanding. Where are you getting your information?
Rigelian is correct. Location services refers to GPS location finding as opposed to cell tower and wifi location information, which is what is contained in consolidated.db and continues to accumulate with location services off. It has also been suggested that turning off location services does also restrict apps from accessing this file - assuming that they wanted to in the first place.
That is awesome! I'll have to see if I can get it to work with Aperture. Thanks!
Hi Doc,
I've now updated the script to work with Aperture! Just open up whichever applications you want it to work with (out of iPhoto and Aperture), and it'll tag the photos in them.
There's a simple way to fix this. Use the tracking devise to find all the stolen iPhones instead of the worthless "find my iPhone" app.
Since all you have to do with "find my iPhone" is delete the apple ID or email.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
As the iOS 4 location tracking file on the iPhone continues to make headlines, two customers have already sued Apple and accused the company of invasion of privacy and computer fraud.
The class-action suit was filed last week in a U.S. District Court in Tampa, Fla., by Vikram Ajjampur of Florida and William Devito of New York. The two have asked a judge to bar the data collection on iPhones and 3G-equipped iPads, according to Bloomberg.
"We take issue specifically with the notion that Apple is now basically tracking people everywhere they go," attorney Aaron Mayer reportedly said in representing his clients. "If you are a federal marshal you have to have a warrant to do this kind of thing, and Apple is doing it without one."
The customers seek refunds for their purchases, because they said they would not have bought Apple's products if they had known of the location tracking. The plaintiffs said they were unaware of the tracking and never consented to it.
Apple has not yet officially commented on the matter, which gained attention last week, when two researchers publicized it. They found that the iOS 4 mobile operating system creates a file, "consolidated.db," which collects latitude and longitude coordinates where the device has been, along with a timestamp.
It has been suggested that the file's existence and the fact that data is recorded but never deleted are an oversight by Apple. The unencrypted information resides on a user's phone and in iTunes backups, but has not been found to be transmitted to Apple or any third parties.
Disabling location services on an iPhone or iPad also does not stop the creation of the file or the recording of location information. Researchers have advised users to encrypt their iTunes backup files to bolster security, as anyone with access to a device or just a backup file could extract the information.
In addition to the class-action lawsuit, Apple's iOS 4 tracking scandal has also prompted investigations of the company in South Korea, France, Germany, and Italy. And last week, two national elected officials in the U.S. sent letters to Apple, expressing concerns over the "consolidated.db" tracking file and requesting information regarding why the data is collected.
Comments
That is awesome! I'll have to see if I can get it to work with Aperture. Thanks!
Thanks, Doc! Let me know if you get it working, and I'll host/link to your version.
At least they ask you about sending data on Android. I'm sure Apple OS doesn't have anything like that. I wouldn't touch Apple iPhone even if they paid me also.
Not in any way that actually explains what they are doing. The biggest difference is that Apple is not sending the data anywhere in any personally identifiable form, whereas Google is.
Only if you let it do so.
In case you did not know, most good browsers give you the option.
Yes I know and I do use private browsing and auto clear cache etc in some circumstances. Just pointing out that the default behavior for most browsers for years had been about as secure with your private data as a folder full of papers laying on a park bench labeled "DO NOT READ"
so what do we need now - a 3 day waiting period before you can buy a smartphone and a thousand question survey to determine to what features you agree to use and which you do not - and annual continuing education to ensure that you are aware of changes to the device.
Turning off location services does not stop the phone from storing your location to the unencrypted database.
That's not my understanding. Where are you getting your information?
What a crock. I guess they didn't bother to read the privacy policy they agreed to the first time they synced their new iPhone
I'm sure all the litigants in this case use cash only and have never owned any cell phone before the iPhone...
Who reads? Everyone is hooked on the YouTooba.
That's not my understanding. Where are you getting your information?
Rigelian is correct. Location services refers to GPS location finding as opposed to cell tower and wifi location information, which is what is contained in consolidated.db and continues to accumulate with location services off. It has also been suggested that turning off location services does also restrict apps from accessing this file - assuming that they wanted to in the first place.
I've also just released iPhoneGE, which maps your location data onto Google Earth.
Still looking for a summer job
That is awesome! I'll have to see if I can get it to work with Aperture. Thanks!
Hi Doc,
I've now updated the script to work with Aperture! Just open up whichever applications you want it to work with (out of iPhoto and Aperture), and it'll tag the photos in them.
Let me know how you get along!
Peter
Since all you have to do with "find my iPhone" is delete the apple ID or email.
As the iOS 4 location tracking file on the iPhone continues to make headlines, two customers have already sued Apple and accused the company of invasion of privacy and computer fraud.
The class-action suit was filed last week in a U.S. District Court in Tampa, Fla., by Vikram Ajjampur of Florida and William Devito of New York. The two have asked a judge to bar the data collection on iPhones and 3G-equipped iPads, according to Bloomberg.
"We take issue specifically with the notion that Apple is now basically tracking people everywhere they go," attorney Aaron Mayer reportedly said in representing his clients. "If you are a federal marshal you have to have a warrant to do this kind of thing, and Apple is doing it without one."
The customers seek refunds for their purchases, because they said they would not have bought Apple's products if they had known of the location tracking. The plaintiffs said they were unaware of the tracking and never consented to it.
Apple has not yet officially commented on the matter, which gained attention last week, when two researchers publicized it. They found that the iOS 4 mobile operating system creates a file, "consolidated.db," which collects latitude and longitude coordinates where the device has been, along with a timestamp.
It has been suggested that the file's existence and the fact that data is recorded but never deleted are an oversight by Apple. The unencrypted information resides on a user's phone and in iTunes backups, but has not been found to be transmitted to Apple or any third parties.
Disabling location services on an iPhone or iPad also does not stop the creation of the file or the recording of location information. Researchers have advised users to encrypt their iTunes backup files to bolster security, as anyone with access to a device or just a backup file could extract the information.
In addition to the class-action lawsuit, Apple's iOS 4 tracking scandal has also prompted investigations of the company in South Korea, France, Germany, and Italy. And last week, two national elected officials in the U.S. sent letters to Apple, expressing concerns over the "consolidated.db" tracking file and requesting information regarding why the data is collected.
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]