I understand why people are upset with Facebook. I find it interesting that same people don't seem to be upset with Apple, while Apple is largely playing the same game.
Forget all you know about Facebook ad practices for a second, and take a look at what Apple is doing, but putting "Mom and Pop LLC" in place of Facebook.
Apple is using their enormous power to essentially pick and choose what is allowed to execute on your device. Sure, they give user a "choice" to either restrict and app, or to allow it, but they never, ever, give user the same choices about Apple itself. Apple "helping" users to restrict others is no different from Microsoft installing internet Explorer for everyone, to "help" users browser the internet.
In this case Apple is getting all the goodies about the user: their location, their usage, their connections, everything. Meanwhile, they are blocking others from having it.
The difference is that Apple is waving the freedom-fighter flag first, thereby making everyone else look bad in comparison.
>In this case Apple is getting all the goodies about the user: their location, their usage, their connections, everything. Meanwhile, they are blocking others from having it.
Because Apple doesn't seem interested in collecting all this data in the first place. If they were, it'd be straight up hypocrisy, but that doesn't appear to be the case.
Don't get me wrong, I value open platforms myself, but right now it seems like the choice in mobile OSes is largely between an open platform that leaks data like a sieve and a restrictive platform that at least has some semblance of privacy. I keep flipping back and forth and hope for a better option one day, but I'm glad there's at least someone putting pressure on the advertising panopticon.
Right. I think what I am trying to say is that by focusing on illusion of privacy, Apple can take a long view on abusing the said privacy. They are all trying to murder the other guy with whatever tools they've got. FB is using ads and data, Apple is using their device strong hold, MSFT is going after business users...etc.
It's not that one is better or worse, but I think it's important to recognize that each one has its flaws.
The iPhone itself? I mean, I am more than happy to be proven wrong. But can we know, for 100% that while I am simply using my phone, Apple isn't actually collecting its location via their own APIs, or those of my cell carrier?
Forget all you know about Facebook ad practices for a second, and take a look at what Apple is doing, but putting "Mom and Pop LLC" in place of Facebook.
Apple is using their enormous power to essentially pick and choose what is allowed to execute on your device. Sure, they give user a "choice" to either restrict and app, or to allow it, but they never, ever, give user the same choices about Apple itself. Apple "helping" users to restrict others is no different from Microsoft installing internet Explorer for everyone, to "help" users browser the internet.
In this case Apple is getting all the goodies about the user: their location, their usage, their connections, everything. Meanwhile, they are blocking others from having it.
The difference is that Apple is waving the freedom-fighter flag first, thereby making everyone else look bad in comparison.