cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/11219865
TL;DR version:
Several popular iOS apps, including Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Twitter, have been found to be collecting user data through notifications, even when the app is closed, according to tests conducted by security researchers at Mysk Inc. The data collected includes IP addresses, device information, and other identifiable details, which can be used for targeted advertising and tracking purposes. While some of the companies involved have denied the allegations, the researchers claim that the data collection is unnecessary for notification processing and appears to be related to analytics and tracking. The issue is believed to be widespread among iOS apps, and Apple’s lack of enforcement of its own privacy rules has been criticized. Upcoming changes to the iPhone operating system’s rules may help address the problem, but it remains to be seen how effectively they will be enforced.
Mitigating the issue:
- According to a reply from the researchers under their video:
Disabling the notifications prevents this from happening, but you have to toggle the option “Allow Notifications” of the app off. Allowing the notifications while disabling the alerts isn’t enough.
- Another article from BleepingComputer similarly notes that:
iPhone users who want to evade this fingerprinting should disable push notifications entirely. Unfortunately, making notifications silent will not prevent abuse. To disable notifications, open ‘Settings,’ head to ‘Notifications,’ select the app you want to manage notifications for and tap the toggle to disable ‘Allow Notifications.’
Link to the researchers’ original post on Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@mysk/111816751385137545
It’s pretty clear that it’s Apps, not iPhone. But also… iPhone is responsible for holding application developers to their terms of service. It’s absolutely appropriate to criticize them for failing to deliver what they’re selling in terms of claims to a more private ecosystem.
Do the android versions also harvest data?
They do.
So why call out iphone? Because they’re supposed to manage every telemetric aspect of the 2.24 million apps on the app store?
Sure, ok. This connectivity is allowed, This connectivity isn’t. Sounds great, how do they find that information out? Super magical quantum computers probably.
Why call out the company that claims they protect privacy when they fail to protect privacy? No idea.
Privacy isn’t a concrete object. Like you can buy a six pack of freedom and a bag of privacy. Pretending Apple’s responsible for all apps’ behavior is bullshit.
It’s fine if you’re cool being lied to. I’m not. Though, it’s hard to find any company that isn’t lying to you one way or another.
If they make an example of the big rule breakers, the rest will fall into line, making it easier to spot the little trouble makers…think of it like form mods. Sure they can’t catch everything, but by constantly allowing garbage through, that’s all they’ll get. If they enforce the rules then less will attempt to break them.