Apple Sued Over Location-Tracking Scuttlebutt
Apr 25, 2011, 2:37 PM by Eric M. Zeman
Two consumers from Tampa, Fla., have filed a lawsuit against Apple for allegedly committing privacy invasion and computer fraud. The complaint comes after the recent revelation that the Apple iPhone tracks user location data and stores in on the host computer. The complaint was filed in a federal court, though the complainant's demands weren't disclosed. Devices running Google's Android platform perform similar actions and send the data back to Google. No one has yet to sue Google.
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Comments
The Android defense
I wonder if it'll work in court lol. "But your honor, Android does it too..." Good luck apple. As usual, they make excuses that have no merit and don't make any difference regarding their disrespect for customer privacy. Every time they cry about what other companies do, it makes them seem just like everybody else...
Where and when in this case did Apple say, "Android does it too?" That is what the editor said in the article not an apple spokesperson. So where are you coming up with this make belief? 🤣
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Hitur Petar said:...
I wonder if it'll work in court lol. "But your honor, Android does it too..." Good luck apple. As usual, they make excuses that have no merit and don't make any difference regarding their disrespect for customer p
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I think the difference is what is being done with the data.
The iPhone stores the data locally, on the phone itself and on the users computer when it is synced. Nothing is sent back to Apple, no one has access to the data but the user (and anyone the user has given permission to use his/her phone/computer)
Google tracks user location, has it sent back to them and stores it for a period of time. They use the location database to make more money in advertising.
I don't know why the iPhone stores user data, but it doesn't appear to be stored by Apple or used by them in any way whatsoever.
This does not warrant a lawsuit.
Google tracks user location, has it sent back to them and stores it for a period of time. They use the location database to make more money in advertising.
I don't know why the iPhone stores user data, but it doesn't appear to be stored by Apple or used by them in any way whatsoever.
This does not warrant a lawsuit.
Stirring the pot...
I'd be happy to play Devil's Advocate on this one.
OK, we all know location based services aren't free; data is acquired and sold for market analysis and ultimately creates the revenue streams that pay for this cool stuff.
As I understand it, the difference between what Apple has done vs. Google is that Google uploads data to its servers directly. Other than cookies in your browser or maybe an encrypted cache on your phone (depending on how you’ve set it up) that's pretty much it. It pushes data so far upstream that you basically become a face in a huge crowd - sort of a ‘safety in numbers thing’. Sure someone can analyze your habits, purchases etc. but that’s pretty far outside access by any one individual. It would...
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OK, we all know location based services aren't free; data is acquired and sold for market analysis and ultimately creates the revenue streams that pay for this cool stuff.
As I understand it, the difference between what Apple has done vs. Google is that Google uploads data to its servers directly. Other than cookies in your browser or maybe an encrypted cache on your phone (depending on how you’ve set it up) that's pretty much it. It pushes data so far upstream that you basically become a face in a huge crowd - sort of a ‘safety in numbers thing’. Sure someone can analyze your habits, purchases etc. but that’s pretty far outside access by any one individual. It would...
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The issue is:
a) They're unsecured caches of user location in long-term storage on the device.
and
b) There is no option to opt out of said data collection.
Gladly, for the Android fan like myself, Google has not stepped into either one ...
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a) They're unsecured caches of user location in long-term storage on the device.
and
b) There is no option to opt out of said data collection.
Gladly, for the Android fan like myself, Google has not stepped into either one ...
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Figures
Ya there are privacy issues with apple doing this, but i just think these guys just found a quick way to make some money. This country is full of sue happy people.
Yep. The worst part is that the courts allow it. It's not the most legal thing to do but people jumping on it like that. I'm suprised it took this long
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It clearly stated in the T&C. And all the millions of agency's that tried to make something out of this have all reported that none of the information is going back to apple, its only stored on the phone which you can encrypt. This is crazy ppl are so...
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Do you have something against money? More than likely the Feds will keep all the money they fine apple and google for themselves anyway. "You can't track private citizens without their knowledge...that's OUR job"
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The phone is not being tracked if its tracks itself. If information is not being shared, then what?
I do not care to much for this, I have an android, track it all you want. Who gets the information, the government, some stupid add company's?
I ...
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I do not care to much for this, I have an android, track it all you want. Who gets the information, the government, some stupid add company's?
I ...
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Maybe you should? You could get rich... Maybe or waste a lot of money on court and lawyer fee's just to lose 🙄
The only thing that is interesting....
is the fact that the Headline uses the word Scuttlebutt. 🤣
kudos for eric for having a thesaurus
I didn't really think about it until you mentioned it, but now everytime I open up the homepage I giggle.
