Apple Launches All-in-One Web Page With Privacy Labels for Its Own Apps

[RejZoR]

1 hour ago, SurvivorNVL said:

I like the concept of Apple being private or having a "privacy-focus" even if it is a lie on their part.  Given that Apple logs and watches every app that is downloaded and opened on the iPhone, not to mention Mac with their newest OS update.  Or the fact that iPhone is constantly using network scanning for keeping up with where your device ID is located at any given time, and allows them GPS tagging no matter where you are; sure it is great if you, y'know, need to locate your device if it was stolen, but not great if you're interested in your privacy.  And remember, that networking scanning "feature" isn't something you can ever turn off.  It's on the motherboard, built in-to the broadcom chip for every phone.

If a phone for privacy is warranted you should be de-googling an old Android, getting an Ubuntu-touch phone, getting a flip-phone with a burner sim-card or eliminate a cell-phone from your life.  The latter being the hardest but most rewarding thing in the world.  I went back to an old PDA and a Pager.  Never been happier.

If you plan on using degoogled phone, you may just as well put a brick in your pocket. I've gone that route and using garbage 3rd party app stores, sideloading apps from questionable sources and inability to run any apps that require locked bootloader, like banking apps and streaming apps with DRM (like Netflix) you'll be out of luck. iPhone on the other hand will run all stuff without issues with no need to "degoogle" since it has none. Except in apps. Telemetry can be disabled as well as restrict location access per services, but you also limit functionality because iOS doesn't distinct between local location access (for functions like disable DND when leaving location) and remotely required (for weather services or navigation). You can do that via control for individual apps tho. Besides, even if Apple collects some, what are they going to use it for? It's not like they mine data to please advertisers. Apple tracks users in certain ways so they can sell you more iPhones and Apple Watches or follow trends within their own ecosystem for themselves. And it's far less creepy than Google's combing through every pore of your life and categorizing it under disguise it's for your "comfort" and "convenience".

[SurvivorNVL]

2 minutes ago, RejZoR said:

If you plan on using degoogled phone, you may just as well put a brick in your pocket. I've gone that route and using garbage 3rd party app stores, sideloading apps from questionable sources and inability to run any apps that require locked bootloader, like banking apps and streaming apps with DRM (like Netflix) you'll be out of luck. iPhone on the other hand will run all stuff without issues with no need to "degoogle" since it has none. Except in apps. Telemetry can be disabled as well as restrict location access per services, but you also limit functionality because iOS doesn't distinct between local location access (for functions like disable DND when leaving location) and remotely required (for weather services or navigation). You can do that via control for individual apps tho. Besides, even if Apple collects some, what are they going to use it for? It's not like they mine data to please advertisers. Apple tracks users in certain ways so they can sell you more iPhones and Apple Watches or follow trends within their own ecosystem for themselves. And it's far less creepy than Google's combing through every pore of your life and categorizing it under disguise it's for your "comfort" and "convenience".

When I used a degoogled phone I never had any of the issues you describe; F-Droid has come a long way.  I highly recommend to most people, though, not to use their phone except for being a mobile browser and maybe IM's and some secured phone calls.  You can create your own applications that just take you direct to a URL link through Mozilla or Tor on your phone; like for banking, if you absolutely need to access your finances all the time.  
 

Many of their telemetry may appear disabled for both Apple & Google, and yet it can still be detected to be running when submitted for review and checks; I personally would rather both companies know next to zero about me, and have gone to great lengths to ensure that.  Even when I had a de-googled phone I made sure to use multiple browsers for different purposes specifically to avoid potential profiling of activity.  Same thing I do for my desktop; five browsers, each for a different purpose.  For awhile I did the same thing for my phones; a phone for LTE calling only at home and familial texting.  A phone for browsing the internet with certain hardware features removed like the camera and microphone(which is actually kinda a fun project), and a phone that was used for doctors and personal business which had no internet connectivity, a Sim card that would only be put in as needed, and also missing camera, but not microphone.

[Bombastinator]

11 minutes ago, SurvivorNVL said:

When I used a degoogled phone I never had any of the issues you describe; F-Droid has come a long way.  I highly recommend to most people, though, not to use their phone except for being a mobile browser and maybe IM's and some secured phone calls.  You can create your own applications that just take you direct to a URL link through Mozilla or Tor on your phone; like for banking, if you absolutely need to access your finances all the time.  
 

Many of their telemetry may appear disabled for both Apple & Google, and yet it can still be detected to be running when submitted for review and checks; I personally would rather both companies know next to zero about me, and have gone to great lengths to ensure that.  Even when I had a de-googled phone I made sure to use multiple browsers for different purposes specifically to avoid potential profiling of activity.  Same thing I do for my desktop; five browsers, each for a different purpose.  For awhile I did the same thing for my phones; a phone for LTE calling only at home and familial texting.  A phone for browsing the internet with certain hardware features removed like the camera and microphone(which is actually kinda a fun project), and a phone that was used for doctors and personal business which had no internet connectivity, a Sim card that would only be put in as needed, and also missing camera, but not microphone.

I researched degoogled phones some years ago and my determination at the time was the best one by an order of magnitude was the Apple iPhone7+ so I bought one.  It’s not exactly a super new phone anymore.  It’s possible that there are degoogled options that are better atm.  

Edited March 15, 2021 by Bombastinator

[SurvivorNVL]

10 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

I researched degoogled phones some years ago and my determination at the time was the best one by an order of magnitude was the Apple iPhone7+ so I bought one.  It’s not exactly a super new phone anymore.  It’s possible that there are degoogled options that are better atm.  

GrapheneOS and LineageOS are the go-to ones.  GrapheneOS now has Pixel 5's and 4a supported, if you like or trust 5G.  Buddy of mine was able to get an iPhone 6 to run Lineage with some work.

[Bombastinator]

3 minutes ago, SurvivorNVL said:

GrapheneOS and LineageOS are the go-to ones.  GrapheneOS now has Pixel 5's and 4a supported, if you like or trust 5G.  Buddy of mine was able to get an iPhone 6 to run Lineage with some work.

I looked at liniageOS stuff I remember.  I do t remember grapheneOS.  There were issues.

[JamesTheFolf]

On 3/12/2021 at 2:10 AM, Spindel said:

Summary

Apple today updated its privacy website with a new "Labels" section that brings privacy labels for all of Apple's apps together in one place, making it easier for users to learn about how Apple apps handle their personal data.

 

Quotes

My thoughts

Thank you apple, while other big tech companies makes moves to obstruct and/or obscure these things you bring it to the front row. Now I'm just waiting for the onslaught of companies like Facebook trying to make Apple the big anti competetive meanie...

 

...oh wait they already has tried this route. 

 

 

Sources

https://www.macrumors.com/2021/03/11/apple-launches-privacy-labels-page/

I'd love to see this expanded with another page that contains all apps listed on the app store.

[Bombastinator]

7 minutes ago, jrhaberland said:

I'd love to see this expanded with another page that contains all apps listed on the app store.

I wouldn’t.  Those pages would be waaaay to long.  Even tiny largely unused app stores can have thousands of apps.

[JamesTheFolf]

2 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

I wouldn’t.  Those pages would be waaaay to long.  Even tiny largely unused app stores can have thousands of apps.

That's fair, but at least a page where you can search for an app and see them.

[Fnige]

6 hours ago, jrhaberland said:

That's fair, but at least a page where you can search for an app and see them.

so the app store but on the web? because im sure that already exists?