iOS and macOS: a maze of settings where it's too easy to get lost.
A new study from Aalto University in Finland challenges Apple's claims that users of its devices have full control over their privacy. As it turned out, built-in iOS, iPadOS and macOS applications continue to collect data about owners even when the corresponding functions are seemingly disabled.
A team of researchers led by Associate Professor Janne Lindqvist studied eight key Apple apps: Safari, Siri, Family Sharing, iMessage, FaceTime, Location Services, Find My, and Touch ID. According to them, these programs are " inextricably linked to the ecosystem, and it is almost impossible to get rid of them."
"The user interface is misleading," explains Lindqvist. — For example, when you disable Siri, the user thinks that the voice assistant has stopped collecting information, but in fact it continues to collect data from other active applications."
To restrict access to data, you need to carefully configure the privacy settings for each application separately. Instructions on the Internet are "complex and incomplete", which often leaves people lost in the process and confused about whether the desired result was achieved.
"The instructions for restricting access to data confuse people," says doctoral student Amel Burdouken. - They are scattered in different places, and it is not clear where exactly you need to look — in the application settings, in the general settings of the device, or in both sections."
To assess how accessible privacy settings are for ordinary users, the researchers conducted an experiment with volunteers. Although the participants took some steps in the right direction, none of them managed to completely prevent the transfer of data from the studied applications to third-party services. At the same time, the process turned out to be very time-consuming.
Scientists suggest that Apple can use the collected data to train the AI assistant Siri and personalize the user experience. However, it is impossible to judge this accurately, because the company does not disclose full information.
Experts recommend using third-party apps instead of standard ones as an alternative, for example, replacing Safari with Firefox. However, obviously, even this does not guarantee complete security.
The full results of the study will be presented at the CHI conference in Honolulu in May 2024.
A new study from Aalto University in Finland challenges Apple's claims that users of its devices have full control over their privacy. As it turned out, built-in iOS, iPadOS and macOS applications continue to collect data about owners even when the corresponding functions are seemingly disabled.
A team of researchers led by Associate Professor Janne Lindqvist studied eight key Apple apps: Safari, Siri, Family Sharing, iMessage, FaceTime, Location Services, Find My, and Touch ID. According to them, these programs are " inextricably linked to the ecosystem, and it is almost impossible to get rid of them."
"The user interface is misleading," explains Lindqvist. — For example, when you disable Siri, the user thinks that the voice assistant has stopped collecting information, but in fact it continues to collect data from other active applications."
To restrict access to data, you need to carefully configure the privacy settings for each application separately. Instructions on the Internet are "complex and incomplete", which often leaves people lost in the process and confused about whether the desired result was achieved.
"The instructions for restricting access to data confuse people," says doctoral student Amel Burdouken. - They are scattered in different places, and it is not clear where exactly you need to look — in the application settings, in the general settings of the device, or in both sections."
To assess how accessible privacy settings are for ordinary users, the researchers conducted an experiment with volunteers. Although the participants took some steps in the right direction, none of them managed to completely prevent the transfer of data from the studied applications to third-party services. At the same time, the process turned out to be very time-consuming.
Scientists suggest that Apple can use the collected data to train the AI assistant Siri and personalize the user experience. However, it is impossible to judge this accurately, because the company does not disclose full information.
Experts recommend using third-party apps instead of standard ones as an alternative, for example, replacing Safari with Firefox. However, obviously, even this does not guarantee complete security.
The full results of the study will be presented at the CHI conference in Honolulu in May 2024.
