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Contact Us | Privacy Policy Affiliate Disclosure If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Read our ethics policy. Apple makes it really hard for users to completely stop it from collecting data Malcolm Owen's AvatarMalcolm Owen | Apr 10, 2024 Apple's Advanced Data Protection feature [59272-1209] 10 Facebook x.com Reddit Apple's default apps are collecting user data even if users try disabling them, research from Aalto University claims, with it being an almost impossible task to properly accomplish. Apple prides itself on making privacy a key reason to own an iPhone and its other products. It has privacy policies like App Tracking Transparency that can limit the amount of data collected by third-party apps installed by users. However, a study by Aalto University that examined default apps and services included as part of a new iPhone found Apple's own apps can feed back a lot of data to Apple. Also, that data was hard to prevent from being collected in the first place. The researchers analyzed eight "apps," specifically Safari, Siri, iMessage, FaceTime, and Find My, as well as settings for Family Sharing, Location Services, and Touch ID. Publicly-available privacy-related information was collected from technical documentation and privacy policies for analysis. Users "don't know what is going on" due to the way the user interface is designed, said associate professor Janne Lindqvist. One example is that users are given the option to enable Siri. But the option only enables whether Siri's voice control is used, and that Siri still collects data in the background regardless of the user's choice. Users have to go into the settings and make changes there to stop the behavior, which the prompt seemingly offers without actually performing. A confusing affair The instructions to restrict data access were deemed "very complex and confusing" by the report, with steps scattered in various online documents without any clear direction provided. The instructions also didn't provide all the required steps, and declined to explain how any collected data was processed by Apple. To try and prove that it was difficult for users, volunteers were interviewed and asked to change the settings. None of the participants managed to follow all of the instructions to prevent the data collection, but they were able to take steps in the right direction. There were also complaints that users weren't given feedback on whether they succeed to disable data collection while dealing with privacy settings. Study participants allegedly went backwards in the process on occasion, and sometimes resorted to scrolling randomly for inspiration. A collection mystery While stopping Apple's own data collection is difficult, researchers were also unable to find out exactly what Apple did with collected data in many cases. After failing to find definitive answers from public documents, Lindqvist proposed that it was likely the data would be used to train machine-learning systems for services like Siri, or to provide more personalized user experiences. The professor offered that the seamless multi-device interactions users are accustomed to makes it hard to revert to a time of more limited data sharing with companies. Even so, Lindqvist believes Apple could do better in being clearer with customers about what data is collected and what it is used for. To avoid data collection from some apps, the report offers that users could use third-party apps, which face tougher rules for data collection on iOS than what Apple itself abides by. This is something that critics of Apple have picked up on in the past, and has resulted in multiple lawsuits over the disparity. Apple has previously been open in acknowledging that it collects data on its users to benefit its own services, and has done so for years. However, it often does so while minimizing the amount of data collected, and anonymizing the data where possible. Follow AppleInsider on Google News --------------------------------------------------------------------- Malcolm Owen's Avatar Malcolm Owen Product Comparison Expert Based in South Wales, Malcolm Owen has written about tech since 2012, and previously wrote for Electronista and MacNN. In his downtime, he pursues photography, has an interest in magic tricks, and is bothered by his c... 10 Comments --------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 Comments Forum User cornchip cornchip said about 1 day ago I just wish that they would improve parental controls. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Forum User ericthehalfbee ericthehalfbee said about 1 day ago Data that leaves your iPhone doesn't mean it's being "collected" by Apple. The article even mentions services like Continuity that require data to be transferred so devices can work together. Further, data that leaves your device and goes to Apple doesn't mean it's being abused (like used for targeted ads). There's also a huge difference between data going to a company like Apple and someone like Meta or Google who make 98/80% of their revenue from targeted ads. They need your data to survive. To Apple your data isn't even pocket change. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Forum User avon b7 avon b7 said about 1 day ago ericthehalfbee said: Data that leaves your iPhone doesn't mean it's being "collected" by Apple. The article even mentions services like Continuity that require data to be transferred so devices can work together. Further, data that leaves your device and goes to Apple doesn't mean it's being abused (like used for targeted ads). There's also a huge difference between data going to a company like Apple and someone like Meta or Google who make 98/80% of their revenue from targeted ads. They need your data to survive. To Apple your data isn't even pocket change. So why bother obfuscating the whole 'how to switch things off' situation'? And this is presumably the EU iOS interface. I wonder if it's even harder to figure out on US devices. There was always a lot of talk about how to unsubscribe from services in the US but doing so for the same services in the EU was generally far easier (due to EU law). I could unsubscribe from Apple TV+ with one button and it's the same for Amazon Prime etc. I would assume though that somewhere within the EU required privacy statement, details will be provided on what is being pumped off the phone. Perhaps a little cryptically though. At the very least, it should be easier for users to find the relevant settings for data collection, understand them and switch them off if desired. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Forum User bobolicious bobolicious said about 1 day ago ...spyOS...? --------------------------------------------------------------------- Forum User teejay2012 teejay2012 said about 22 hours ago Short of sharing data with the government or law enforcement, the main and perhaps only reason to track data, is for understanding you as a customer better. When is the last time that you felt that something you did on an Apple app led to targeted ads? Now compare that to doing a Google search on ANY device or posting something on Instagram or Facebook... it is uncanny that all of a sudden you start seeing personalized ads. I may be naive on this I will admit. Apple should outline what they are tracking and for what, but I doubt it will be nefarious or to target you as a customer. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Read More on our Forums Top Stories article thumbnail Today only: Apple's 1TB MacBook Pro 14-inch with 19-core GPU drops to $1,949 --------------------------------------------------------------------- article thumbnail Rumor: M4 MacBook Pro with AI enhancements expected at the end of 2024 --------------------------------------------------------------------- article thumbnail Apple warning users about a mercenary spyware attack on iPhones --------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- article thumbnail iPhone 16 Plus may expand to seven colors including white and purple --------------------------------------------------------------------- article thumbnail Apple wants to hire a PR heavyweight to battle the EU on its own soil --------------------------------------------------------------------- article thumbnail What to expect from Apple's Q2 2024 earnings on May 2 --------------------------------------------------------------------- article thumbnail Apple's M2 MacBook Air drops to all-time low of $849 in latest price war --------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- Latest comparisons article thumbnail M3 15-inch MacBook Air vs M3 14-inch MacBook Pro -- Ultimate buyer's guide --------------------------------------------------------------------- article thumbnail M3 MacBook Air vs M1 MacBook Air -- Compared --------------------------------------------------------------------- article thumbnail M3 MacBook Air vs M2 MacBook Air -- Compared --------------------------------------------------------------------- * iPhone 15 * iPhone 16 * Apple Vision Pro * MacBook Pro Deals * MacBook Pro * AirPods * iPad * Mac mini * MacBook Air * More... 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