Comment by djsumdog
4 years ago
In this case, isn't the hash of the binary consistent across all devices, so Apples can in fact derive exactly which binary you're running (assuming they have a large database of application binary and hashes)?
4 years ago
In this case, isn't the hash of the binary consistent across all devices, so Apples can in fact derive exactly which binary you're running (assuming they have a large database of application binary and hashes)?
> assuming they have a large database of application binary and hashes
A database like an "app store"?
yup! and the variety of ways to leak that information along the way...Privacy(tm)!
Yes. My personal data involves what I do within those apps, not which ones they are.
That's not even close to true. Apps that you have downloaded can reveal a massive amount of potentially personal information.
Think about someone having a dating app that would out them. Or a therapy app that they don't want people to know about. And that just scratches the surface.
Only if linked to personally identifiable information. Do we have any evidence this is happening?
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Part of it is that, when we're talking about a traditional computer (contrasted with a phone), all of that stuff happens in the web browser these days. The average user's native binaries are mostly limited to said web browser, some work communication apps, maybe a notes app, maybe some dev tools or office tools or media tools depending on the person. Nothing remotely interesting to advertising companies. Maybe that will change with the new iOS app support, but I kind of doubt it.
And anyway, when we are talking about a phone, it would be literally impossible to run an app store without recording (and personally identifying!) that information. Maybe that's one more argument to allow third-party app stores, which I'm not against (though who knows if they're more trustworthy with that data?), but nevertheless.
My point is that in the grand scheme of privacy concerns, this is a very silly hill to die on. In the grand scheme of system reliability, on the other hand, it's totally legitimate to be upset that this effectively took down thousands of expensive workstations across the world for a few minutes.
3 replies →
I don't think that's necessarily true. Meta data about your usage can be very revealing in itself. To use an analogy, if someone tracked every location you visited that'd be very invasive, regardless of whether they recorded any details about what you did at those locations.
I think this is more analogous to someone tracking what models of car you drive.
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Its what apps you’ve got, exactly when and how often you use them, and where you are at those times via network info. Casual gay pickup app, last night in a coffee shop in the red light district, while your wife thought you were at the office working late for example.