Apple Now Tracks and Shares Location Data
June 22nd, 2010
Apple has updated their privacy policy, and now has the ability to “collect, use, and share precise location data, including the real-time geographic location of your Apple computer or device.” If you tried to update any of your apps, or maybe download iBooks for the iPhone today, you probably hit a screen asking you to check out changes to the privacy policy. Here’s precisely what the text says:
To provide location-based services on Apple products, Apple and our partners and licensees may collect, use, and share precise location data, including the real-time geographic location of your Apple computer or device. This location data is collected anonymously in a form that does not personally identify you and is used by Apple and our partners and licensees to provide and improve location-based products and services. For example, we may share geographic location with application providers when you opt in to their location services.Some location-based services offered by Apple, such as the MobileMe “Find My iPhone” feature, require your personal information for the feature to work.
So what will Apple do with this info? The general assumption is that it will be used in conjunction with iAds to create targeted advertisements, based on businesses around you.
At present there is no option to opt-out of this, which is more than a little disheartening. I’m not particularly comfortable with any company tracking my location — not Twitter, not FaceBook and not Apple. I’m more than happy to let people who want it to have this info used, but at least give us a way out of it!
Related posts:
Posted in I Cafe