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Apple: New iOS, new location privacy policies

By | June 22, 2010, 5:00am PDT

Apple has updated its privacy policy to include location-based services. In a nutshell, Apple and partners may “collect, use, and share precise location data, including the real-time geographic location of your Apple computer or device.”

That wording in Apple’s full privacy policy has raised a little bit of consternation, but the company says the data is collected anonymously without personal identifiers.

The full passage:

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.

As CNet News’ Erica Ogg notes, Apple’s privacy changes read just like Android’s.

What may be a bit jarring to folks is that Apple is now into advertising and services so the location-based services and data sharing may be a bit of a switch. For instance, a user expects Google to harness location data. Apple may not be viewed in that respect yet. Alternatively, the early reaction to Apple’s privacy policy changes is overblown.

Meanwhile, Apple has also posted a summary on how to opt out of its iAd program.

Related: All iPhone and Apple content.

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Topics

Apple Inc., Location Data, Data Sharing, Mobile Operating Systems, Larry Dignan

Larry Dignan is Editor in Chief of ZDNet and SmartPlanet as well as Editorial Director of ZDNet's sister site TechRepublic.

Disclosure

Larry Dignan

Larry Dignan has nothing to disclose. He doesn’t hold investments in the technology companies he covers.

Biography

Larry Dignan

Larry Dignan is Editor in Chief of ZDNet and SmartPlanet as well as Editorial Director of ZDNet's sister site TechRepublic. He was most recently Executive Editor of News and Blogs at ZDNet. Prior to that he was executive news editor at eWeek and news editor at Baseline. He also served as the East Coast news editor and finance editor at CNET News.com. Larry has covered the technology and financial services industry since 1995, publishing articles in WallStreetWeek.com, Inter@ctive Week, The New York Times, and Financial Planning magazine. He's a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism and the University of Delaware.

For daily updates, follow Larry on Twitter.

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RE: Apple: New iOS, new location privacy policies
tomlin21-24319035676893835085146735905770 11th Oct
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0 Votes
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Cue the double standards
NonZealot 22nd Jun 2010
Apple?s privacy changes read just like Android's.
...
For instance, a user expects Google to harness location data. Apple may not be viewed in that respect yet.

I expect to hear from a thousand Apple astro-turfers as to why Google has been evil for their collection policies but Apple is saintly for doing the exact same thing.

Cue the double standards...
0 Votes
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For once, I agree with you.
msalzberg 22nd Jun 2010
@NonZealot

Equating Apple's anonymous location data collection with Google's parsing of emails via GMail, its broadcasting of private contacts via Buzz and its collection of passwords and emails via StreetView, is indeed a double standard.
0 Votes
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Doesn't bother me as much...
rapson 22nd Jun 2010
@NonZealot

...as the "opt out" part. Why not advertise the service and allow "opt-in"? It's not like Apple fans don't trust the company.
0 Votes
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RE: Apple: New iOS, new location privacy policies
techboy_z 22nd Jun 2010
Flip that around. Why is it "expected" for GOOG, but somehow wrong for Apple?
0 Votes
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RE: Apple: New iOS, new location privacy policies
Pete "athynz" Athens 22nd Jun 2010
@NonZealot I too find myself agreeing with you... It's bad enough Google is doing it now Apple as well? Not cool at all. So NO, Apple is NOT saintly for doing the same thing.

Double Standards not cued at all.
0 Votes
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Everything is a double standard with apple
Jimster480 22nd Jun 2010
Apple is a evil company, but everyones retarded double standards don't seem to see Apple's failures on EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF EVERYTHING THEY DO.
0 Votes
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RE: Apple: New iOS, new location privacy policies
phatkat 22nd Jun 2010
At they give a option to opt-out if iAds but it is nearly impossible to find except for the link in this article and I wonder why. Thank you Larry Dignan for that link or we will never find it.
As for the location privacy issue I don't have a iPhone but I hope you can set only to get your location only when you dial 911 like with my Motorola phone.
0 Votes
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RE: Apple: New iOS, new location privacy policies
michael@... 22nd Jun 2010
Whats the big deal, when "Steve" and his people pulled his/their heads out of the clouds and found out he/they were in business and their goal was to make money, lots and lots of money. As far as privacy goes, Steve tells all his "chief" underlings at a staff meeting to ensure privacy is met at all levels. They say "yes sir, we will be the best in the industry" Of course "they" and "Steve" know there in no such thing as privacy but they sure do fell good when they go thru this ritual at every meeting.
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RE: Apple: New iOS, new location privacy policies
frabjous 22nd Jun 2010
@michael@... Oh, right

But someone slipped up on the privacy thing just enough to let you know what happens at top level Apple staff meetings? Not credible. Fail! Go stand in the corner with Zealot...
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RE: Apple: New iOS, new location privacy policies
TonyL128@... 22nd Jun 2010
Don't you guys know that you can turn location based services off on the iPhone and iPad?
0 Votes
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RE: Apple: New iOS, new location privacy policies
Chip Moody 23rd Jun 2010
Non issue. Can we find a topic that's actually worth discussing or being concerned with in the first place?
0 Votes
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RE: Apple: New iOS, new location privacy policies
jackson1984-24316069205748857739440257893812 11th Oct
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RE: Apple: New iOS, new location privacy policies
tomlin21-24319035676893835085146735905770 11th Oct
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