Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: Apple, iPhone, iPod, Spyware, Library | Themes: Software, Smartphones, Digital Entertainment, Audio/Video Players, 3GSM
According to SlashGear, an Apple iPhone developer has discovered that at least one third-party iPhone library, provided by Pinch Media, is tracking owner data by recording the location of the user when specific apps sharing the library are launched. The library also records physical consumer movements and other data while the application is open.
To make matters worse, more than one application accesses this library including Camera Zoom and Twitterfon. As reported by SlashGear, the library does not provide end-users means of monitoring or shutting off the tracking, nor does it ask the user for permission when the applications are installed. Additionally, the library will continue to gather data as long as the application is in use. If the iPhone or iPod Touch is offline, the library will continue to collect--and cache--the data until a connection is made.
Here's list of information the library gathers:
- iPhone’s unique ID
- iPhone Model
- OS Version
- Application version (in this case, camera zoom 1.x)
- If the application is cracked/pirated
- If your iPhone is jailbroken
- time & date you start the application
- time & date you close the application
- your current latitude & longitude
- your gender (if facebook enabled)
- your birth month (if facebook enabled)
- your birth year (if facebook enabled)
Is this considered spyware? The fact that the library collects personal data without the end-user's consent should justify the label, however apparently some developers disagree with the branding. Still, acquiring Facebook information lends more towards the "unnecessary information" side of data collection, and should be considered suspicious.
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Don't be surprised when Apple see's no good reason to ban it from the app store. Apple users are the ultimate conformists.
I know it's hard, but if you care about your personal information getting leaked then buy devices that allow that. Especially from companies who sanction these kinds of tactics.
whops i meant don't buy
Doesn't sound too bad really. It should be modified so that the location information is far more general though, i.e. rounded to nearest 100 km or miles. Exact location's a bit too personal but nearest town isn't too bad. The unique ID should probably not be parsed either.
A lot of other services do this stuff already. Web browsers pass through system information to websites relating to your web browser version, operating system etc. Web sites see your IP address so are given your general location. They can time when you visit and if its a site with a profile (i.e. web forums or Facebook) then it has access to your gender, birth month, year, etc too.
As long as the location is made to be vague enough then I see no problem with this. Although the unique ID should probably be sent only to Apple and not to application developers. It can be used by developers to see the usage trends of their apps, see how many people are using their apps illegally, give location based adverts in ad-supported apps and generally get some good feedback.
The unique ID info could potentially be used if cracked or pirated apps turn out to be a real problem. Apple could use the unique IDs to blacklist certain bad offenders. Although since Apple takes a relatively lenient stance in terms of piracy, I don't think they'd ever need to use it.
If people are calling this spyware then pretty much every internet browser out there and every website out there is spyware too.
And somehow this made it through the app approval process? Who ever is giving the thumbs up and thumbs down to apps recently really needs to be fired.
@ Spanky
While i agree that most of the info they're gathering isnt worrying, these parts are:
- your current latitude & longitude
- your gender (if facebook enabled)
- your birth month (if facebook enabled)
- your birth year (if facebook enabled)
ESPECIALLY since its taken without user knowledge. With this information someone could easily be stalked and/or have their identity stolen.
All I can think of when I here about the app store approval process is the tank of dugongs that write family guy episodes from south park.
I assume the app store approval process runs a similar setup.
(P.S. I love family guy!)
This isn't spyware, it's Facebook.
Which apps do this exactly?
And who do I direct my lawyers to?
This is the last straw... I was going to buy a Touch as it seemed like a nice toy, but hey! I'm saving for a Pre now! BTW I don't need a music player, I need a handheld with a decent screen.
Which apps do this exactly?And who do I direct my lawyers to?
Direct him at the media company providing the library ofcourse.
I think that except for the first 4 types of data mentioned in article and maybe the time and date you start/close the application, the rest of the data storing process has nothing to do with the application itself working properly; the app could use the info while it's running, but why store it? That's nobody's business... And some info is irrelevant even for the app runtime - like whether the phone is jailbroken or not... this whole cache thing is suspicious and it's spyware to me..
As far as the comparison to browsers, it does not really hold any water; the browser needs an unique ID and that's the IP address you're on at that time; that is not GPS coordinates and as far as I know, the browser does not cache that kind of info without you being able to control it or delete it as needed...
Hell yes it's spyware. One key fact, third party software. As far as Facebook and those other worthless sites so many people find the need to tell the world about themselves, I say they are stupid. You have a freaking phone in your hand, call your friend and actually talk to them. Better yet meet them for lunch.
Doesn't sound too bad really. It should be modified so that the location information is far more general though, i.e. rounded to nearest 100 km or miles. Exact location's a bit too personal but nearest town isn't too bad. The unique ID should probably not be parsed either.A lot of other services do this stuff already. Web browsers pass through system information to websites relating to your web browser version, operating system etc. Web sites see your IP address so are given your general location. They can time when you visit and if its a site with a profile (i.e. web forums or Facebook) then it has access to your gender, birth month, year, etc too.As long as the location is made to be vague enough then I see no problem with this. Although the unique ID should probably be sent only to Apple and not to application developers. It can be used by developers to see the usage trends of their apps, see how many people are using their apps illegally, give location based adverts in ad-supported apps and generally get some good feedback.The unique ID info could potentially be used if cracked or pirated apps turn out to be a real problem. Apple could use the unique IDs to blacklist certain bad offenders. Although since Apple takes a relatively lenient stance in terms of piracy, I don't think they'd ever need to use it.If people are calling this spyware then pretty much every internet browser out there and every website out there is spyware too.
Ah!, excue me my web browser doesn't provide websites with my gender, DOB, or facebook profile. Not if I don't want it to. And if it does it's called spyware. The difference here is choice, I can turn off any features in my browser that may allow that info to be leaked. I can use a proxy server if I want to remain anonymous. There is a host of useful tools that can keep me and my personal info from being accessed or recorded via my web browser. I don't think I have those very same choices or protection via the IPhone.
spanky deluxe,techguy378 you are stupid!!! Go clean your room or back to the basement where mommy keeps you.... sheessh "not spy ware, not so bad,.... have you guys ever like sniffed anything on the wire? I guess it's not so bad spanky if they hold information on you even if it is available on smashface or whateva. Ever hear of HEPA or any other regulatory rules companies MUST follow. get a clue
o0RaidR0o You go boy!! That was your clue spanky!
why don't you give me your IP/DOB and location so I can populate somebody's database with "Hey I want porn mail". Don't worry tho it's never going to get to ya since I don't have everything. One other note a browser is not needed to xfer information.
have a iphone and i truly love it. not a apple guy been a pc user for a very long time but the exact location info is just wrong. come on apple!
Why bitch? I thought people love their iGarbage ?
This is what you get for using any iGarbage's garbage. dummy.
"1984? Yeah right, that's a typo. Orwell is here now and he's living large."
spanky deluxe,techguy378 you are stupid!!! Go clean your room or back to the basement where mommy keeps you.... sheessh "not spy ware, not so bad,.... have you guys ever like sniffed anything on the wire? I guess it's not so bad spanky if they hold information on you even if it is available on smashface or whateva. Ever hear of HEPA or any other regulatory rules companies MUST follow. get a clue
I never said this is ok. It was a joke about Facebook's privacy issues since they happened to be mentioned in this article.
I think this should be criminaly illegal.
I have an iphone (ixplode) and i also use facebook on it. My PC facebook account doesnt have age/gender available to the general public why the fuck would my Iphone give it up???
- your gender (if facebook enabled)
- your birth month (if facebook enabled)
- your birth year (if facebook enabled)
At the end of the day, i dont overly care... but i do think this is wrong.
Hell yes it's spyware. One key fact, third party software. As far as Facebook and those other worthless sites so many people find the need to tell the world about themselves, I say they are stupid. You have a freaking phone in your hand, call your friend and actually talk to them. Better yet meet them for lunch.
I agree, sorta...
As i mentioned already i have Iphone and facebook enabled. I dont roam facebook ever but sometimes i gotta do a mobile upload and tag a person (usualy hammered... I got one last week of my bud spilling his drink all over the girl in front of him @ the football game while holding the 30 empties up for a pic.
I think this should be criminaly illegal.
I have an iphone (ixplode) and i also use facebook on it. My PC facebook account doesnt have age/gender available to the general public why the fuck would my Iphone give it up???
- your gender (if facebook enabled)
- your birth month (if facebook enabled)
- your birth year (if facebook enabled)
At the end of the day, i dont overly care... but i do think this is wrong.
techguy378 OIC, sorry my bad
I was just on a rant and I can see it NOW. I was just PMS'n ... lol
Ah!, excue me my web browser doesn't provide websites with my gender, DOB, or facebook profile. Not if I don't want it to. And if it does it's called spyware. The difference here is choice, I can turn off any features in my browser that may allow that info to be leaked. I can use a proxy server if I want to remain anonymous. There is a host of useful tools that can keep me and my personal info from being accessed or recorded via my web browser. I don't think I have those very same choices or protection via the IPhone.
No, but if you have filled out your Facebook info then Facebook has access to it all. Same with any forum you go to. If you don't tell Facebook your gender or DOB then this information won't be accessible on the rest of the iPhone. Yes you can get around things like location information etc by using proxies but that's not the point. You could just as well not use any apps on an iPhone and be done with it if you're that paranoid.
spanky deluxe,techguy378 you are stupid!!! Go clean your room or back to the basement where mommy keeps you.... sheessh "not spy ware, not so bad,.... have you guys ever like sniffed anything on the wire? I guess it's not so bad spanky if they hold information on you even if it is available on smashface or whateva. Ever hear of HEPA or any other regulatory rules companies MUST follow. get a clue
What the hell is HEPA? Never heard of it and Google and Wikipedia throw up nothing. Besides which, they're not giving out personal information, its all anonymous. It doesn't parse your name, contact details or bank details. It parses age, sex and location (although that should be general location). Ever filled out a survey of any kind? Nearly every survey or every customer feedback questionnaire asks for your age and gender.
You sound a little overly paranoid. Maybe you shouldn't go out on the street at all because someone could take a photo of you or film you and put it on TV. As long as your face is blurred when they distribute it, they're not breaking any rules.
No, but if you have filled out your Facebook info then Facebook has access to it all. Same with any forum you go to. If you don't tell Facebook your gender or DOB then this information won't be accessible on the rest of the iPhone. Yes you can get around things like location information etc by using proxies but that's not the point. You could just as well not use any apps on an iPhone and be done with it if you're that paranoid.What the hell is HEPA? Never heard of it and Google and Wikipedia throw up nothing. Besides which, they're not giving out personal information, its all anonymous. It doesn't parse your name, contact details or bank details. It parses age, sex and location (although that should be general location). Ever filled out a survey of any kind? Nearly every survey or every customer feedback questionnaire asks for your age and gender.You sound a little overly paranoid. Maybe you shouldn't go out on the street at all because someone could take a photo of you or film you and put it on TV. As long as your face is blurred when they distribute it, they're not breaking any rules.
OMG. You've never heard of HEPA? That's hillarious. I would have thought you would have heard about the HEPA air filters used in things like vacuum cleaners or air conditioners.
I'm gonna try blocking beacons.pinchmedia.com in my hosts file on my iPhone. Best option I can think of so far.