Among the FANG’s, is Apple a privacy champion?
My thoughts in the comments.
By far. This is not even up for much of a debate. It's one of their foundational selling points.
At least, their business model doesn't involve selling off your personal data. At least, for external use and as a primary source of revenue. So I voted yes. I am even considering switching to iPhone for my next phone, although I'm not thrilled with their software quality.
Their primary revenue flow is plateauing. Their best shot for growing revenue is through the ecosystem of existing products, such as in-app purchases. But there lies the fundamental dilemma. It’s these third-party apps that are destroying privacy. Apple can easily afford to say it’s a privacy advocate because they’re in the business of producing the physical device, and that’s where their moral obligations end, and where Facebook’s begin.
Lol none of big tech's business models involve "selling off your personal data" Targeted ads=/=selling your data Having user data that others can't access is a huge competitive advantage... Why would anyone ever sell that?
No, their public privacy stances are for show. They happily expose iCloud to Chinese government for starters.
Any proof / links?
That’s exceptionally rich, but at least you acknowledge it.
The difference between apple and fb’s respective data privacy issues is Apple’s was a bug and unintentional whereas fb is intentionally tracking your data to sell to the highest bidder. Apples and oranges really
Yes, but that's not exactly a high bar.
Apple is able to get on a high horse because their business is selling you a luxury product for $800/year. It's almost counterproductive for them to get on a high horse. FB and its products are used by literally billions of people who cannot afford to pay that kind of money. They chip in by clicking an ad or two every year. This isn't a moral stance per se. It's just the reality of the world.
Seems like they are more like a "it's not in our best interest financially" to exploit user privacy vs other companies like Facebook and Google.
Yes, they don't do business with privacy. They make that extra money by making their products expensive
Absolutely. And the reason being that Steve Jobs understood human psychology of feeling special by being the king( or prisoner) of an ‘exclusive’ echo system where nobody else can step in. Think of early days of iPod and iTunes stores and that awesome feeling of holding 5.7 GB full of AACs only with tracks that you like and not being forced to buy an entire album/cd ( example: Being able to buy only “Come Together” and avoid the rest of that mockery of prog rock known as Abbey Road). Apple might have lost many of Jobs chops but making ‘privacy’ exclusive is always in its gene.
I’m a “no” vote because I feel Apple is no better for creating the technology that enables companies like Facebook to become no more than spying tools. They certainly aren’t as villainous, but they are a huge enabler of other companies bad behavior via the popularization of the smartphone. This also isn’t to detract from Facebook. But what is Apple doing for us as consumers? If they really cared about privacy, Facebook wouldn’t be in the App Store. But that’s likely an untenable position for Apple. As much as they dislike one another, the relationship between the two companies is mutually beneficial. I find Apple’s criticism a bit odd for the aforementioned reasons. If we didn’t have these privacy zapping apps, the smartphone would be a far less useful device.
You get to choose if you want to install Facebook. You don’t need to use it and it definitely is not pre installed
The fact that you have access to an app that will connect you to billions of people is part of value proposition of buying an iPhone. It’s not valuable because you have the choice of installing the app, or foregoing it. Apple hugely benefits from privacy killing companies developing apps for its platform. It’s hypocritical of Apple to try and have it both ways, they’re indirectly a very real part of the problem. Of course companies would come along and make apps that profit off of violating privacy. What did they think would happen when they opened up the iPhone to third party development?