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Apple Responds to iTunes Spying Allegations

Posted by Zonk on from the harmless-fruit dept.

daveschroeder writes "According to MacWorld and BoingBoing: 'An Apple spokesman (reliable word has it that it was Steve Jobs himself) told MacWorld that Apple discards the personal information that the iTunes Ministore transmits to Apple while you use iTunes. [...] Apple tells us that the information is not actually being collected. The data sent is used to update the MiniStore and then discarded.' Apple also has a knowledge base article, which apparently was available the day iTunes 6.0.2 was introduced, explaining the MiniStore behavior and how to disable it: 'iTunes sends data about the song selected in your library to the iTunes Music Store to provide relevant recommendations. When the MiniStore is hidden, this data is not sent to the iTunes Music Store.'" The discussion about this topic was fast and furious yesterday.

7 of 385 comments (clear)

  1. Steve always tells the truth.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    You can always trust what Steve Jobs says,
    "We will NOT be releasing a video iPod"........

  2. Re:If the word was reliable... by Guysmiley777 · · Score: 3, Funny

    What?? Are you saying reporters should cite sources and report facts? What are you, some kind of Commie pinko terrorist?

    --
    Coding with assembly is like playing with Legos. Coding an application in assembly is like building a car with Legos.
  3. Re:This is just fud by yobjob · · Score: 1, Funny

    This sounds like sneaky marketing for Apple's upcoming iSpy product.

    --
    Czech language for absolute beginners
  4. Re:not actually being collected by cmdr_beeftaco · · Score: 5, Funny
    If this music tracking information allows us to nab a single terrorist on US soil to is worth the relatively small price. An Apple spokesman (reliable word has it that it was Steve Jobs himself) said several terrorist cells were identify after a nefarious pattern of Dixie Chicks downloads was mined from their database.

    Folks post-9/11 America cannot expect due process or privacy. Danger lurks in the shadows and casting a blinding light down the alleys of American pop culture is the only way to find this enemy.

  5. hoping for a sequel by revery · · Score: 2, Funny

    The discussion about this topic was fast and furious yesterday.

    And today you were hoping they would be 2 Fast 2 Furious?

    A sort of commentary sequel, if you will? Hmmmm?

  6. Re:This is just fud by Paradise+Pete · · Score: 2, Funny
    The issue is, that the music I rip personally, is none of Apple's business.

    But you are, in essence, walking into the store humming that tune, and the clerk says "hey, we've got some other stuff by those guys."

  7. Re:If the word was reliable... by node+3 · · Score: 2, Funny

    "reliable word has it that it was Steve Jobs himself" then why not cite the source?

    Because the Macworld reporter did not store the information, only used it to make recommendations about the MiniStore.