New iPhone privacy ad takes shots at other smartphones oversharing information

Posted:
in General Discussion
Apple has shared a new humorous ad spot about people over sharing private information as a way to highlight the data that its privacy features can help keep safe.

Credit: Apple
Credit: Apple


The company launched its "Privacy. That's iPhone" ad campaign in 2019. It features various clips highlighting the importance of digital privacy, and ways that the iPhone can help protect it.

This latest ad, just over one minute, features various people telling others around them personal and sensitive details about their lives -- such as their credit card numbers, internet search history, and their workout heart rate.





"Some things shouldn't be shared. That's why iPhone is designed to help give you control over your information and protect your privacy," Apple said in the video description.

While the overshared details are humorous, they also each highlight a particular privacy feature on iOS. The woman sharing her credit card numbers, for example, highlights Apple Pay's ability to mask real credentials with a temporary number. Several people sharing their internet search history hints at the Intelligent Tracking Prevention feature in Safari.

Apple has long had a focus on protecting user privacy and data, and is introducing new privacy features in its upcoming iOS 14 software update.

One of those features, which lets users opt out of ad tracking on a per-app basis, has everyone from Facebook to news publishers concerned about advertising revenue.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 19
    I think this is the best ad they’ve had in a while.

    Last year I was thinking about how you give specific location data to so many apps that would do just as well with more general location data, like a weather app, so I submitted an iOS feature request to Apple, with a fairly detailed description of a feature that would allow you to choose to only give more vague location data to certain apps, for instance by providing a location chosen at random within, say, a mile of your actual location, and only updating it when you had moved significantly from that spot. 

    I recently read in the New York Times that something similar will be coming in iOS 14—it would be cool to receive an acknowledgement of my contribution, but I’m also just happy to see it. 
    edited September 2020 kuduBeatskillroytmaywatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 19
    Great ad!! This is one of the main reasons I stick with Apple. I love the privacy focus in iOS 14. I hope more people become aware of what's being shared and actually care. 

    pulseimagesBeatskillroywatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 19
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    Simple and effective. 
    Beatskillroytmaywatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 19
    Even though I’d read about the ad before seeing it, it still made me laugh. Like it a lot.
    pulseimagesBeatskillroywatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 19
     :D That’s the best as I’ve seen in a long time! Great job, Tim Apple  
    pulseimagesBeatskillroywatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 19

    A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, isn't it? When it comes to Security and Privacy, the End User of the technology has been the weakest link in most of the cases, than the gadget having whatever technology. Wouldn't this advertisement be giving the Apple users a false sense of security and leading to ignorant users shooting themselves in the foot? Even with iOS 14 privacy features, an iPhone owner using Facebook actively is going to give away lot more personal information than an $100 Android phone user not using Facebook, isn't it?


    While Apple has definitely built a far superior system with respect to privacy than anything else that is available, they would be doing injustice to their users if they give a false sense of security. They should continue to highlight the need for end users to stay alert always.

    kudu
  • Reply 7 of 19
    imatimat Posts: 208member
    A great ad.

    I am not so sure it is a smart idea for a carrier to run it, since they also sell other manufacturers smartphones. It is like bashing the rest of the deals you offer to customers.

    "look, besides the iPhone we have all these other phones that shout your private information all over the place" but we push them, because the cut we get from the manufacturer is much higher. We even hype them, because they are "better and cheaper" believe me, I know. (also, because we get a higher bonus for selling them, but that I won't tell you)

    muthuk_vanalingamkillroywatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 19

    A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, isn't it? When it comes to Security and Privacy, the End User of the technology has been the weakest link in most of the cases, than the gadget having whatever technology. Wouldn't this advertisement be giving the Apple users a false sense of security and leading to ignorant users shooting themselves in the foot? Even with iOS 14 privacy features, an iPhone owner using Facebook actively is going to give away lot more personal information than an $100 Android phone user not using Facebook, isn't it?


    While Apple has definitely built a far superior system with respect to privacy than anything else that is available, they would be doing injustice to their users if they give a false sense of security. They should continue to highlight the need for end users to stay alert always.

    I would hope this ad will prompt viewers to think more about data privacy issues, not lull them to sleep.
    randominternetpersonBeatstmaywatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 19
    Ad was kinda funny.  Also funny is the fact that no matter how much Apple focuses advertising their stance on privacy, the end users generally don't seem to care.  A very, very, very large swath of the population voluntarily overshares personal information on social media on a daily basis.  100% guarantee all of us know someone -many someones most likely- who has overshared at least one of the things mentioned in the ad on FB, Twitter, IG, or some other social media site.  Who am I kidding, possibly overshared on all of them. :D  

    That's not to say Apple shouldn't keep fighting the good fight.  Any little bit helps.  I just think apathy won that battle a long time ago.  People generally don't care.  Sigh.
    muthuk_vanalingamBeats
  • Reply 10 of 19
    ...as Apple data centers continue to be rolled out...

    appleinsider.com/articles/20/09/03/apples-viborg-denmark-data-center-is-operational-powered-100-by-clean-energy
    killroy
  • Reply 11 of 19
    OferOfer Posts: 237unconfirmed, member
    Ironically the same day they released this ad they announced that they’re going to delay the new opt-out ad-tracking feature.
    edited September 2020
  • Reply 12 of 19
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    imat said:
    A great ad.

    I am not so sure it is a smart idea for a carrier to run it, since they also sell other manufacturers smartphones. It is like bashing the rest of the deals you offer to customers.

    "look, besides the iPhone we have all these other phones that shout your private information all over the place" but we push them, because the cut we get from the manufacturer is much higher. We even hype them, because they are "better and cheaper" believe me, I know. (also, because we get a higher bonus for selling them, but that I won't tell you)


    Unlike dumb users, carriers KNOW iPhones are the real thing. The knockoffs are just extra sales. They don't care if Apple outsells them, they make more money.

    Virgin for example wanted to be iPhone exclusive but kept iKnockoffs for extra revenue. It's like how developers make dollars on App Store and cents on Android.
    killroyqwerty52watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 19
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member

    A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, isn't it? When it comes to Security and Privacy, the End User of the technology has been the weakest link in most of the cases, than the gadget having whatever technology. Wouldn't this advertisement be giving the Apple users a false sense of security and leading to ignorant users shooting themselves in the foot? Even with iOS 14 privacy features, an iPhone owner using Facebook actively is going to give away lot more personal information than an $100 Android phone user not using Facebook, isn't it?


    While Apple has definitely built a far superior system with respect to privacy than anything else that is available, they would be doing injustice to their users if they give a false sense of security. They should continue to highlight the need for end users to stay alert always.


    The ad is talking about Apple privacy. We can twist it any way but the truth is Apple cares.

    The end user is the problem as many iKnockoff users refuse to believe facts. They always say "Well Apple probably does the same thing!" and "but maybe Apple does Android spying too!"  then continue to defend Google. These are the same dumb as*es who criticize Zuckerberg then continue to praise and use Google.
    edited September 2020 killroyqwerty52watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 19
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    Beats said:
    imat said:
    A great ad.

    I am not so sure it is a smart idea for a carrier to run it, since they also sell other manufacturers smartphones. It is like bashing the rest of the deals you offer to customers.

    "look, besides the iPhone we have all these other phones that shout your private information all over the place" but we push them, because the cut we get from the manufacturer is much higher. We even hype them, because they are "better and cheaper" believe me, I know. (also, because we get a higher bonus for selling them, but that I won't tell you)


    Unlike dumb users, carriers KNOW iPhones are the real thing. The knockoffs are just extra sales. They don't care if Apple outsells them, they make more money.

    Virgin for example wanted to be iPhone exclusive but kept iKnockoffs for extra revenue. It's like how developers make dollars on App Store and cents on Android.
    First time I've ever seen you write that Android makes cents. ;)
    muthuk_vanalingamqwerty52
  • Reply 15 of 19
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    ...as Apple data centers continue to be rolled out...

    appleinsider.com/articles/20/09/03/apples-viborg-denmark-data-center-is-operational-powered-100-by-clean-energy

    GREAT! The more Apple brings software in-house the more privacy and security us users get!
    killroyqwerty52watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 19
    GamodGamod Posts: 2unconfirmed, member
    Apple should advertise how they are leaders at abusing the market and pushing anti competitive practices in the name of security. Because the reason you can't side load apps or have a different store isn't about security, it is about controlling the market and forcing the consumer to have one single choice on that OS used by billions. Security shouldn't compromise consumer choice when that OS has the support of third party companies and developers.
    edited September 2020
  • Reply 17 of 19
    Gamod said:
    Apple should advertise how they are leaders at abusing the market and pushing anti competitive practices in the name of security. Because the reason you can't side load apps or have a different store isn't about security, it is about controlling the market and forcing the consumer to have one single choice which is their own on a OS used by billions. 
    Abusing the market? In their own store?
    This is ridiculous! If it really was, like you are suggesting, AppStore would never be so successful!
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 19
    Beats said:
    ...as Apple data centers continue to be rolled out...

    appleinsider.com/articles/20/09/03/apples-viborg-denmark-data-center-is-operational-powered-100-by-clean-energy

    GREAT! The more Apple brings software in-house the more privacy and security us users get!
    Are you sure...?
    www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-fbi-icloud-exclusive-idUSKBN1ZK1CT
    fixitalready.eff.org/apple/#/

    Should the implications of the Patriot Act alo be considered for vast majority of Apple customers...?
    edited September 2020
  • Reply 19 of 19
    Gamod said:
    Apple should advertise how they are leaders at abusing the market and pushing anti competitive practices in the name of security. Because the reason you can't side load apps or have a different store isn't about security, it is about controlling the market and forcing the consumer to have one single choice on that OS used by billions. Security shouldn't compromise consumer choice when that OS has the support of third party companies and developers.
    watto_cobra
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