Apple and Privacy issues


I've been an Apple guy since the beginning, always felt smug about how reliable their platform was and how Apple treated customers with respect and honored the highest standards of privacy.

Lately there has been a growing problem with Apple, probably some of you using Apple for music or movies know about this but seems most do not.

For instance, the new Apple (Safari) browser will load Google track cookies even if you choose Ixquick (private browser) as primary and Yahoo as backup.

This occurs if Safari is loaded and UNUSED in 15 minutes or less. In other words there is an autoload of Google track cookies before you use the browser or visit any web site.

I searched forums at Apple and other computer sites and there are a few people aware of this. Seems it occurred in the last 30 days or so via automated updates of system and Safari browser software.

Worse still, the latest version of Apple system software (Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard) DOES NOT allow removal of Google cookies, even via security tab when you select and press delete.

As if that were not enough, the CIA and Google are building a massive network to track all internet traffic. They refer to it as "Predictive Analytics."

I'm an honest person, nothing to hide but I resent the attack on privacy this represents. I'll continue to use Ixquick and have switched to Firefox as my primary browser and removed Safari from my menu bar.

Never thought I would see the day I griped about Apple, I've never owned anything else and now they are looking worse than Microsoft with their privacy snooping.

Google/CIA
128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xalbertporter
"Larry_S must work for Apple, Google, or the CIA (when he's not "listening" to audio)."

No, I just post on topic for the forum/site I'm reading. Just because people use MACs for audio doesn't mean all the software on the system is a subject for discussion on an audio related forum/site. I use the player in my car to listen to music but don't come here to talk about what to do if my car won't start.

Apple privacy issues are the one of the least things you should be worrying about if you connect your system to a public network.
Apple privacy issues are the one of the least things you should be worrying about if you connect your system to a public network.

Except for the fact you must connect to a public network to download the software to listen to music, use the public system to download high resolution music files and perhaps even use iTunes to playback digital files for listening in your home.

More like the software is the gasoline for your car and the guy selling you gasoline wants all your private information before you leave the driveway.

Albert,

I agree with your concerns. I believe this behavior started with the 5.0.1 update.

That's just one of the reasons I use a nice little donationware program called Safari Cookies. It gives me complete control of which cookies I want to keep and which ones to automatically delete when Safari quits (or delete manually before I quit).

(just one of the features listed from the website) - Safari Cookies will automatically remove all Google Analytics cookies when quitting Safari.

If you want to prevent Google from loading its analytics in the first place, you can use (read: should be using anyway) Little Snitch to block access to those specific areas of Google. It costs $30 for a single user. It works for any connection (not just Safari). Without Little Snitch you are really never sure to whom you are connecting to.

Granted, Apple should have informed everyone about the auto-connection to Google, the intentions behind doing so and a way to turn it off in the preferences. But until Apple does come clean, at least there is a way of defeating this without having to switch to yet another application.

Chris
Valuable information, especially the link to Little Snitch. Looks like Macworld gave it a near perfect score.

Thank you Chris.