Apple responds to Spotlight Suggestions 'backlash,' says personal data collection limited

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 70
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    tbell wrote: »
    Since Spotlight uses Bing it seems likely Apple has to work with Microsoft.

    That struck me as odd, why not Yahoo rather than the old enemy? In fact Apple should have its own search, perhaps by buying Yahoo ... unless of course Tim is thinking of buying the carcass of Microshit one day?
  • Reply 42 of 70
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Both Spotlight and Microsoft Bing Live search on Windows catalogues your device to gain an advantage over Google.
    I expect that the more data they have on you the more relevant the search and thus selling iAds etc gets more lucrative.

    There is certainly no such thing as a free lunch, even with a premium cost device. Though the customer always seems part of that lunch menu.

    Why did I just think of Charlton Heston screaming "It's people!"? :D
  • Reply 43 of 70
    The very same people who enjoy getting Scroogled.
  • Reply 44 of 70

    Yahoo Search actually uses Bing Search.  Even though it's MSFT sh*t, way better than Scroogle (actually, incredibly, works better than Scroogle, too!)!

  • Reply 45 of 70
    I hate this assumption that I do the same things on all my devices: I don't! That's what Steve Ballmer said was important, but as usual he was talking out of his sweaty armpits. My work Mac does work things and searches on internal Network shares; my home Mac is for fun stuff and searches for my personal files; my iPhone is for helping me get places and stay in touch, not for working on things. If I want to search the internet I use Safari.

    MacWorld had an article on this in which they quoted a security researcher: "For those who don't want the information shared, Fuller recommends they disable "Spotlight Suggestions," "Bookmarks & History" and "Bing Web Searches" under the "Search Results" tab in Spotlight's preferences. To disable search terms entered in Safari, another selection -- also called "Spotlight Suggestions" -- should be disabled. Fuller has written a Python script that can accomplish those tasks. They had a link to the script.
  • Reply 46 of 70
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Disturbia View Post

     

    Well said!




    What, use Google to search your HARD DISK??? Are you nuts?

  • Reply 47 of 70

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Jexus View Post

     

    A feature like this should be opt in, not opt out.




    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ascii View Post

     



    I agree. Spotlight has always been a local disk search, so if they are changing it to be an Internet search too, they should ask you. They should display a popup the first time you use it, asking "Do you want Spotlight to search only your local computer or the Internet too?" and then it should remember that setting. They shouldn't just automatically start sending the names of files you are looking for to Microsoft.


     

    I agree. Amazing how many people read "desktop search" and thought "internet search" as if they have never used Spotlight before. Don't these idiots even own a Mac?

  • Reply 48 of 70
    b9botb9bot Posts: 238member
    How many times does Apple have to say WE DON'T WANT YOUR DATA! It's part of there whole business model that customer privacy is a top goal. You will hear this when you go to an Apple store as well. Many customers don't back up when they should so they will ask Apple store employees to back it up temporarily to there Macs. And the same response from an Apple store employee is "we can't do that because of a customers privacy". It is NOT aloud. As Tim Cook keeps saying over and over again, " Apple makes money from its products not your data or private information".
  • Reply 49 of 70
    Nah, Apple don't sell iAds, honest gov.
  • Reply 50 of 70
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    That struck me as odd, why not Yahoo rather than the old enemy? In fact Apple should have its own search, perhaps by buying Yahoo ... unless of course Tim is thinking of buying the carcass of Microshit one day?

    Yahoo is now Googleized by Marisa Meyer's redesign crew. Yahoo Mail and Groups interfaces are now chaotic, unfriendly, unusable almost. Not Apple material, I think.
  • Reply 51 of 70
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    lostkiwi wrote: »
    Now let's see,,, who owns WaPo again?
    Mr Bezos you say?

    Surely there can't be any ulterior motive behind this fact-lite click bait....

    Are you suggesting that this is why he owns the Washington Post, and that it has been shown in the e-book case that he has a relationship with the "justice" department?

    Imagine the value of a back door into Amazon's servers, but of course that would never be allowed to happen . . .

    I think as good citizens we have to reject this line of thinking.
  • Reply 52 of 70
    knowitallknowitall Posts: 1,648member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dunks View Post

     

    The most interesting thing about this is each Spotlight search that replaces a Google search has the potential to improve your online privacy.

     

    Apple's explanation seems reasonable. I'm satisfied that this is not being used to profile This is used to provide and probably provide a degree of context for follow up searches. I trust Apple not to abuse this because their business model is not dependent on it.  

     

     

    It's the profiling and tracking between websites that I find the most creepy. I recommend everyone install the Ghostery extension, block everything and navigate to some well-known websites. It's a horror show. No consent obtained and no obvious mechanism to have it explicitly withdrawn.




    Thanks for the info.

  • Reply 53 of 70
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by cali View Post



    Dont like it? use google!!



    Hahaha!!

    By visiting appleinsider you are being tracked by google, facebook and others.  Unless you are blocking trackers with something like ghostery.

     

    The "valueclick media" tracker here on appleinsiders home page says its "advertising, behavior tracking, lead management".  Sounds lovely doesn't it?

     

    Look at where the ads on this site are from, most look like they are google ads to me.   So if you don't like using google, either don't come to appleinsider or turn on ghostery.

     

    I am not picking on appleinsider, rather using them as a familiar example to illustrate how silly it is to throw apple under the bus here.

     

    When its apple who phones home, people freak out.  I don't get it.   Should be opt-in, but this is blown way out of proportion. 

  • Reply 54 of 70
    dsddsd Posts: 186member

    "Fuller has written a Python script that can accomplish those tasks."

     

    Nobody expects the Spotlight Inquisition.

  • Reply 55 of 70
    flaneur wrote: »
    Are you suggesting that this is why he owns the Washington Post, and that it has been shown in the e-book case that he has a relationship with the "justice" department?

    Imagine the value of a back door into Amazon's servers, but of course that would never be allowed to happen . . .

    I think as good citizens we have to reject this line of thinking.

    Quite so. Thank you for the correction, citizen.
    *washes mouth*
    ????
  • Reply 56 of 70
    Oh, the Washington Post owned by Jeff Bezos? The guy who runs one of the largest data collection businesses in the world? Good grief, Charlie Brown...
  • Reply 57 of 70
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    lostkiwi wrote: »
    Quite so. Thank you for the correction, citizen.
    *washes mouth*
    ????

    There now, fellow citizen. They have nothing to worry about from us.

    How's the immigration policy down there lately?
  • Reply 58 of 70
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by cali View Post



    Dont like it? use google!!



    Hahaha!!

     

    Better yet; just deactivate those privacy-intruding options.

     

    Bam, done.

  • Reply 59 of 70
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Jexus View Post

     

    A feature like this should be opt in, not opt out.


     

    Why? Further, Apple does ask you when you set up your device whether you want to opt in to location services.

  • Reply 60 of 70
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post





    That struck me as odd, why not Yahoo rather than the old enemy? In fact Apple should have its own search, perhaps by buying Yahoo ... unless of course Tim is thinking of buying the carcass of Microshit one day?

     

     

    You see in some ways this is what makes Apple a better company then Google and Microsoft. Apple is perfectly happy with teaming up with others to provide its users' service. It doesn't have to own every service it provides.

     

    Further, why team up with Yahoo, when Yahoo uses Bing's search engine? Bing also is a good search engine for 90 percent of what I imagine people search for. It isn't as good as Google for more technical stuff, but that will change.

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