Google and Apple Privacy Relaxations
Recent changes announced by Google and Apple will harvest data from users without their consent.
The Google changes have been announced but are not yet in force. They will be used to ‘improve’ the adverts they feed out based on a user’s digital fingerprint. In theory this will optimise the choice of personalised adverts and reduce spam or fraud. Google see this as a benefit to their connected TV customers although Google’s own YouTube (as an App on these TVs and as a web page) and search engine services will also benefit. Kindus has already described how smart TV ad-services including YouTube are using personal data to make their advertising services more targeted and attractive to ‘sponsors’.
In the UK the ICO issued a statement objecting to the proposed changes. The ICO believes that the digital fingerprinting will collect device hardware and software information to uniquely identify a device or user. This will provide a similar advertising service to 3rd party cookies but with the identifying data being stored at the Google end rather than consumer device. This would circumvent any device that does not allow cookies or any effort by the user to block cookies storage. As the data gathered will be linked to the user and device any attempt to remove it would be wasted as Google could easily collect it again. According to the ICO this fingerprinting could break UK data protection law which requires: ‘Providing users with transparency, securing freely-given consent, ensuring fair processing and upholding information rights such as the right to erasure’. Internet users would have the option to avoid affected services and choose alternatives with greater privacy. Options are available such as the browser and search engine DuckDuckGo that claims not to store personal tracking data but in some cases such as with YouTube there are no alternatives with similar content and presence.
In similar news Apple has already implemented changes that will allow it to process images uploaded through its devices running iOS 18 and macOS 15. This is badged as ‘Enhanced Visual Search’ and will analyse images to find objects such as locations or landmarks. The local device can send data to Apple who will send derived data back to the user; such as information identifying and describing a landmark image stored on the user’s device. Any derived search data is to be encrypted on Apple servers but there is still a privacy issue because Apple has allowed itself to read data on devices without the permission of such users. Unlike the Google scenario ‘Enhanced Visual Search’ can be turned off at the local device.
These large corporations promise that the personal data they hold remotely is encrypted and secure. The privacy worry is that they have no real need or right to such information. There is also a concern that such information might be in some way disclosed. This could be to a government or security service request, from a hack or through an insider disclosure. Although unlikely the concern is for a loss of data that had no need to be collected and stored.
