Apple grabs its chance to tell users about push notification privacy

Yeah this is a terrible look for Apple, Google, governments and human rights. You mean to tell me that all of our data can be easily handed over with a subpoena even on iPhone? I thought privacy and security were supposed to be baked into their operating system? Fascinating reason to find alternatives to both google and Apple.

user1 said:

Yeah this is a terrible look for Apple, Google, governments and human rights. You mean to tell me that all of our data can be easily handed over with a subpoena even on iPhone? I thought privacy and security were supposed to be baked into their operating system? Fascinating reason to find alternatives to both google and Apple.

You should probably try reading the article again, only this time with your “Reading Comprehension” glasses on.

This is about one aspect of security that users sign up for — push notifications — and that Apple has only limited control over. The US government (and other governments) can intercept and read those, and prevent the companies from informing you of this.

So no, not “all our data” can be handed over surreptitiously. Privacy and security ARE baked into Apple’s iOS, but a few things can be compromised by governments that go through a legal process to obtain a subpoena or court order owing to suspicion of illegal activity.

Look at what Apple has done once it was free to reveal this practice, versus what Google has done or said (effectively, nothing). Look at Apple’s Legal Process Guidelines (link in the article, ffs) to educate yourself about your rights versus the government’s duty to protect the innocent and prosecute criminals, since you clearly have never done so.

Or fashion yourself a tinfoil hat and go Amish. Your choice!

chasm said:

Look at what Apple has done once it was free to reveal this practice, versus what Google has done or said (effectively, nothing). Look at Apple’s Legal Process Guidelines (link in the article, ffs) to educate yourself about your rights versus the government’s duty to protect the innocent and prosecute criminals, since you clearly have never done so.

Before making statements you think should be accepted as facts, you should have looked. They aren't. Like with the Senator, now that you've brought it up:

"Google, meanwhile, said in a statement that it was "the first major company to publish a public transparency report sharing the number and types of government requests for user data we receive, including the requests referred to by Sen. Wyden".

"For U.S. requests of push notifications and other non-content information, Google said it requires a court order that is subject to judicial oversight, not just a subpoena. With such orders, federal officials must persuade a judge that the requested data is relevant and material to an ongoing criminal probe."

In comparison, Apple may comply with the subpoena without requiring a court order according to the Apple Legal Process Guidelines you pointed to.

tophatnosocks said:

gatorguy said:

Before making statements you think should be accepted as facts, you should have looked. They aren't. Like with the Senator, now that you've brought it up:

"Google, meanwhile, said in a statement that it was "the first major company to publish a public transparency report sharing the number and types of government requests for user data we receive, including the requests referred to by Sen. Wyden".

Both Google & Apple posted as soon as seeing the senator make it public. You falling for Google adding "We were the first" in their posting, is what's really funny here!  

The OP claimed Google had said nothing, and only Apple was being transparent. So that's actually what was funny here. 

Beginning in 2010...
https://transparencyreport.google.com/about?hl=en
Apple followed three years later. 

Google's statement was an accurate one.