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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."

6 of 779 comments (clear)

  1. Dear gawd. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    You mean they know that I listen to Brittany Spears and the Spice Girls?!

  2. Re:Extremely easy to disable, and more info by tpgp · · Score: -1, Troll
    Further - though we admittedly don't know this since Apple doesn't explain how it is using the data - there is no proof that Apple is doing anything but merely changing the MiniStore display based on what track you are listening to (which is very likely exactly what they're doing); not aggregating or "tracking your music preferences".

    Did you read the same article I did?
    the fact that Apple is both sending information from your copy of iTunes, along with cookie information that may identify you, as well as sending song information to a metrics server, seems to be a serious breach of trust. (And their end-user license agreement, or EULA, contains no language that suggests they will do so.)
    Cookie info, metrics and nothing in the EULA. Looks like a serious cock-up on Apple's part to me.

    Cue the Apple apologists however - after all, people who accept DRM, will accept anything.
    --
    My pics.
  3. Re:OMG! by AndyG314 · · Score: 0, Troll

    Everything Microsoft and Sony do is evil
    Everything Google and Apple do is great

    Thats how things are on Slashdot, and anyone who suggests differently usualy gets modded as a troll.

    --
    If it's dead, you killed it.
  4. Privacy concerns by maloi · · Score: 0, Troll

    "A convenient feature, perhaps, but it raises concerns over privacy."

    No it doesn't.

    And if you feel it does, don't use it.

  5. Apple and Bush: similar by Drew2d2 · · Score: 0, Troll

    Apple uses the same strategy the Republicans use to counter this kind of finding: ignore it and don't even give credence to or acknowledge it, whatsoever. If you don't like it that's your problem.

    It works on all us dummies. Somehow.

  6. Re:Big Brother and the iTunes Company by voice_of_all_reason · · Score: 0, Troll

    An old example, but it bears repeating...

    By your logic, someone can run a store, and hide a sign behind the counter saying "I get to punch anyone who enters." You walk in, get conked, and it would be completely okay, since the burden would have been on you to research the policy of the store before walking in.