#NewsBytesExplainer: Is Apple handling your private data as it advertises?
What's the story
Apple has portrayed itself as the champion of privacy in the tech world for the longest time. That may not be the case though. Some interesting findings about Apple's analytics data by iOS development and research team called Mysk show that Apple might be up to something fishy behind our backs. Tighten your seat belts, because you're in for a big surprise.
Device analytics
Turning off device analytics has no effect on Apple
Mysk consists of two members, Tommy Mysk and Talal Haj Bakri. According to them, Apple doesn't keep its promises when it comes to analytics data. iPhone's Analytics settings promise us that if we turn it off, it will "disable the sharing of Device Analytics altogether." However, according to Mysk, turning off device analytics and other privacy settings has no effect on Apple's data collection.
App store
Data sent from App Store contains IDs to track users
The researchers used several Apple apps, including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV, Books, and Stocks to test what they found. They understood that analytics control doesn't have any effect on Apple's tracking. According to them, when someone uses App Store, detailed usage data is sent to Apple simultaneously. The data even has IDs to map the behavior to a specific profile.
Kind of data
Everything a user does is sent to Apple
The App Store appears to keep track of everything you do, including what you click on, which apps you search for, which ads you saw, how long you look at an app, and even how you found it. It also sends data about you, including ID numbers, your phone model, your screen resolution, your keyboard languages, and even how you're connected to the internet.
DSID
Every analytics data has DSID linked to a cloud account
The analytics data that Apple receives has an ID called "dsId" or "Directory Services Identifier," Mysk noted. This ID can identify your cloud account. DSID is associated with your name, email address, and any data in your iCloud account, which means Apple can personally identify you. That doesn't sound very privacy-oriented, does it? Well, let's take a look at what Apple's legal documents say.
Twitter Post
Check out Mysk's findings about DSID
🚨 New Findings:
— Mysk 🇨🇦🇩🇪 (@mysk_co) November 21, 2022
🧵 1/6
Apple’s analytics data include an ID called “dsId”. We were able to verify that “dsId” is the “Directory Services Identifier”, an ID that uniquely identifies an iCloud account. Meaning, Apple’s analytics can personally identify you 👇 pic.twitter.com/3DSUFwX3nV
Documents
General analytics policy document isn't applicable to Apple's apps
In Apple's 'device analytics & privacy' document, it says, "none of the collected information identifies you personally." Mysk has highlighted this as well. However, as many have pointed out in the thread, this document doesn't pertain to analytics in Apple's apps. Instead, they have their separate documents. According to Mysk, it is "misleading" on Apple's part to have different policies to cover different aspects.
Twitter Post
Is Apple misleading the public with different policy documents?
2/6
— Mysk 🇨🇦🇩🇪 (@mysk_co) November 21, 2022
Apple states in their Device Analytics Privacy statement that the collected data does not identify you personally. This is inaccurate. We also showed earlier that the #AppStore keeps sending detailed analytics to Apple even when sharing analytics is switched off. pic.twitter.com/2mJiHtM1GD
Own standards
Apple collects a variety of personal information from App Store
In Apple's 'app store & privacy' document, we can see a different set of rules for data collection. Apple clearly admits that it is collecting your personal information. The kind of details it tracks include information about your account, purchases, downloads, number of phone calls and emails you send or receive, browsing, searches, and downloads.
No off button
There is no way to turn off certain data collections
In the policy document, the most relevant section for us is "Improving the Stores." Apple admits that it collects information about when you open or close the App Store, what content you search for, the content you view and download, and the type of device, among others. And unsurprisingly, there's no way to turn this off like some of the other options.
Big deal?
Why are these findings a big deal?
Apple gets a lot of scrutiny for its privacy policies, as one should when you advertise "Privacy. That's iPhone." From what we know so far, it doesn't seem that Apple has broken any of its rules. However, when you publicly turn the screw on how other companies can collect data for ads, you have to keep yourself up to certain standards.
Hypocrisy
Apple has been focusing on ads more than ever
Apple introduced App Tracking Transparency (ATT) in iOS 14.5. Since then, it has made a big dent in the advertising revenue of other companies. However, Apple seems to have been placing a lot of emphasis on ads. There are now more ads on App Store than ever. Maybe ATT was Apple's way of stifling competition. Anyway, it seems that it isn't all about privacy.