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iTunes is Malware?

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the but-not-if-apple-does-it dept.

Moby writes "On the heels of the big Apple love-in that is Macworld comes some interesting but alarming news. Recently a few blogs have started to indicate that iTunes is tracking your music preferences and using that data to recommend other songs from iTMS. The article provides a good overview, with some recommendations of its own. Basically, iTunes is tracking your music and sending the data back to Apple servers. This info is then used to advertise songs that may be to your tastes. A convenient feature, perhaps, but it raises concerns over privacy."

7 of 779 comments (clear)

  1. Simple solution.... by Boap · · Score: 0, Redundant

    I always assumed that iTunes did this. If you do not like apple having any of your data do not do business with them at all.

  2. A need to hide your music tastes? by nizo · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Wouldn't iTunes already know all of your music tastes, since presumably you purchased all of your music from them? Granted they would now know that you listen to Britney Spears all day and night, but assuming you got your music through them, what is the big deal here?

    --
    I Am My Own Worst Enemy
  3. Re:Dear gawd. by ettlz · · Score: 0, Redundant
    You mean they know that I listen to Brittany Spears and the Spice Girls?!
    Gosh! I need to get rid of my George Mickael tunes collection

    And I my Buoy Geordge, Gurls Allow'd, and Hilary Duph.

  4. Re:Big Brother and the iTunes Company by Entropy · · Score: 0, Redundant

    I don't want other people knowing that my most listened to album is Tom Dooley and Other Hits by The Kingston Trio.

    So don't post it on /. ?

    --
    The sea changes color, but the sea does not change.
  5. ZOMG!! by bhirsch · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Apple knows I listen to Liberace, Mariah Carey, and Billy Ocean!

  6. Turning Off iTunes "Adware/Spyware" by galmeida · · Score: 0, Redundant

    To turn off iTunes Adware/Spyware just click on the first button at the bottom right of iTunes window, one with a square icon. MiniStore will not be showed and no data will be sent to iTMS.

  7. Heaven forbid... by laslo2 · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Apple already knows you bought such and such track. You clicked the Buy Now button next to a specific track so that you could download it. Ye Gods, the nerve of Apple, thinking that because you (may) own an iPod and (do) use iTunes, you may enjoy music enough that you'd consider purchasing more.

    --
    Karma only matters to me now and zen.