Apple's new Data & Privacy portal lets European users download stored personal data

Posted:
in General Discussion edited May 2018
Apple has made it easier for its customers to download all of their personal data stored on the company's servers, with a new Data and Privacy portal offering users also offering ways to correct personal information collected by Apple, and to deactivate or delete their account completely.

Apple data and privacy portal


Initially announced in March and launched on Wednesday in the European Union, the Data and Privacy portal is a one-stop-shop for users wanting to get a copy of all the information Apple has about them. The site is dedicated to allowing users of iCloud and Apple's other services to manage their personal data, including corrections and removing it from Apple's servers.

The main section, "Obtain a copy of your data," provides a wide selection of data, including purchase and app usage histories, and the data users choose to store with Apple. The list of data categories available to download includes Apple ID account and device data, online and retail Apple Store activity, AppleCare support history and requests, Game Center activity, and activities associated with Apple's various online stores.

While also available manually, the data trove can also include items stored on iCloud, including files and documents on iCloud Drive, iCloud Mail, and iCloud Photos.

Apple warns the download will not include app, book, film, TV show, or music purchases, nor will it include the Apple Online Store transaction history and Marketing communications history, though these last two items can be acquired via a different request method.

Apple data and privacy portal


Users could wait for up to seven days for the data to be prepared for download, Apple warns, with the company taking this time to verify the request came from the user themselves and not a third party. Once compiled, Apple will notify the user the data is available to download from their Apple ID account page.

The data will be available to download for a 14-day period after the request before being deleted. After that time, users will have to make another request for the data archive.

A second section called "Correct your data" advises users of existing ways to update their personal details. While the Apple Store and Apple ID information can be changed directly by users in a variety of ways, Apple also offers a link to get in contact with its Privacy team if more help is required.

The new Data and Privacy site has been produced in response to the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which will take effect on May 25. As part of the rules, companies are required to provide its customers in the EU with ways to see what personally-identifiable information is stored on their servers.

For now, the data download page only works with Apple accounts hosted in the European Union, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Service for other countries is expected before the end of 2018.

An Apple spokesperson informed AppleInsider at the time of the portal's announcement that the implementation of the EU law corresponds with the company's privacy values, while at the same time giving Apple an opportunity to provide more control over personal data. Though there were ways to acquire, correct, and delete data via various online tools, or by calling AppleCare, Apple noted the initiative consolidates the activities into one portal.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    stukestuke Posts: 122member
    OK, I only see “Correct your data” and “Delete your account” when I log in to this site. 
  • Reply 2 of 11
    stuke said:
    OK, I only see “Correct your data” and “Delete your account” when I log in to this site. 
    Are you US based? It's maybe just for us Europeans to comply with new GPDR rules; I see Obtain a copy of your data. Correct your data. Deactivate your account. Delete your account.

    Incidentally, the location info on the two factor authentication is a bit off. Mine said "a device near London" - only about 600miles away lol.
    edited May 2018
  • Reply 3 of 11
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    stuke said:
    OK, I only see “Correct your data” and “Delete your account” when I log in to this site. 
    Did you read the article or just the headline?
  • Reply 4 of 11
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Glad to see Apple are taking so many extra precautions before releasing the information.  I come across people giving up their user name and passwords all the time by responding to phishing emails.  Only yesterday I read a post on a blog from a guy believing Apple had sent him a request to submit his Apple ID and password on a form in the email  ...  wait for it ...  'as he had just been compromised!'  At least the hackers had a sense of humor albeit a dark one.
  • Reply 5 of 11
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,858administrator
    adm1 said:
    stuke said:
    OK, I only see “Correct your data” and “Delete your account” when I log in to this site. 
    Are you US based? It's maybe just for us Europeans to comply with new GPDR rules; I see Obtain a copy of your data. Correct your data. Deactivate your account. Delete your account.

    Incidentally, the location info on the two factor authentication is a bit off. Mine said "a device near London" - only about 600miles away lol.
    That is probably why.

    From the article: "For now, the data download page only works with Apple accounts hosted in the European Union, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Service for other countries is expected before the end of 2018."
  • Reply 6 of 11
    stukestuke Posts: 122member
    macxpress said:
    stuke said:
    OK, I only see “Correct your data” and “Delete your account” when I log in to this site. 
    Did you read the article or just the headline?
    Missed the “European Union only” point. Thanks for pointing that out in your comment. Seems data privacy should be equally important to anyone who wants it. 
    macxpress
  • Reply 7 of 11
    This is NOT available in the United States. Per Apple customer service - there is no current plan to make it available.
  • Reply 8 of 11
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    This is NOT available in the United States. Per Apple customer service - there is no current plan to make it available.
    Hey, it's short flight to Ireland ;)
  • Reply 9 of 11
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member
    This is great that Apple is doing this. I wish more would follow suit. Then again, I fear there are likely many companies with no idea what personal information they have on people.
  • Reply 10 of 11
    MplsP said:
    This is great that Apple is doing this. I wish more would follow suit. Then again, I fear there are likely many companies with no idea what personal information they have on people.
    You DO know they've been forced to do it, it's not a goodwill gesture by Apple. Every company that does business in Europe has to comply with GPDR by the 25th of May 2018. I'm still waiting for my data to be downloaded, (requested on 23rd). I did a similar thing on facebook a few weeks ago and the data was available within minutes - and I can guarantee they had a sh*tload more info stored on me than apple does.
  • Reply 11 of 11
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,178member
    adm1 said:
    MplsP said:
    This is great that Apple is doing this. I wish more would follow suit. Then again, I fear there are likely many companies with no idea what personal information they have on people.
    You DO know they've been forced to do it, it's not a goodwill gesture by Apple. Every company that does business in Europe has to comply with GPDR by the 25th of May 2018. I'm still waiting for my data to be downloaded, (requested on 23rd). I did a similar thing on facebook a few weeks ago and the data was available within minutes - and I can guarantee they had a sh*tload more info stored on me than apple does.
    It will be coming to other regions eventually. I think Apple said "Later this year"?

    FWIW it looks to me like a great number of companies are using this as an opportunity to be more forthcoming worldwide about their data policies,  and explaining methods for us to oversee our own. As an example I rec'd a privacy notice from Nest today in accordance with the new GDPR regulations, but they're applying it here in North America as well rather than making it just an EU thing. 
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