[LINK] Iphone/iPad changes: Draft APF Policy re Location Data

[Graham Greenleaf]

Roger,

Why would it refer to a *crowd-sourced* location database if it was 
not extracting location data from the crowd? It is a suspicious 
phrase in this context.

- Graham

At 3:45 PM +1000 7/5/11, Roger Clarke wrote:
>At 1:00 PM +1000 7/5/11, Graham Greenleaf wrote:
>>FYI: As of this morning, iTunes offers me new iPad and iPhone
>>software which says it 'changes to the IOS crowd-sourced location
>>database cache including:
>>- reduces the size of the cache
>>- no longer backs the cache up to iTunes
>>- deletes the cache entirely when Location Services is turned off'
>
>I posted the ArsTechnica report on this yesterday to privacy (but not
>link).  Copy at bottom.
>
>When it says it [no longer] "backs the cache up to iTunes", does it
>mean the same as 'synchs the cache to your own desktop/laptop device'?
>
>Or has Apple been acquiring your location-trail into its iTunes servers?
>
>Which I presume would be in addition to the 12-hourly collection
>referred to in the WSJ report:
>
>APRIL 22, 2011
>Wall Street Journal
>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703983704576277101723453610.html#ixzz1KGFVHDgp
>...
>Apple, meanwhile, says it "intermittently" collects location data,
>including GPS coordinates, of many iPhone users and nearby Wi-Fi
>networks and transmits that data to itself every 12 hours
>
>_______________________________________________________________________
>
>>Date: Fri, 6 May 2011 11:39:18 +1000
>>To: privacy at lists.efa.org.au
>>From: Roger Clarke <Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au>
>>Subject: Apple fixes some iOS location data 'bugs'
>>
>>iOS 4.3.3 is out with location tracking fixes for iPhone, iPad
>>By Jacqui Cheng
>>ArsTechnica
>>Last updated: a day ago [5 May 2011?]
>>http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2011/05/ios-433-is-out-with-location-tracking-fixes-for-iphone-ipad.ars
>>
>>Apple has released an expected iOS update that addresses a number of
>>issues related to the iPhone location tracking controversy. iOS
>>4.3.3 is available via iTunes for the GSM iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, all
>>iPads, and the fourth-generation iPod touch. (Another update, iOS
>>4.2.8, is available for CDMA iPhone users.)
>>
>>According to the release notes, iOS 4.3.3 reduces the size of the
>>location database cache, stops backing the cache up to iTunes when
>>you connect your device to a computer, and deletes the cache
>>entirely when you turn Location Services off. There are no other
>>notes attached to the update, though it's possible (as always) that
>>Apple may have slipped some other bug fixes into it as well. (We
>>hear there are bug fixes for the iPod touch, but we're not sure what
>>those fixes are yet.)
>>
>>Apple came under fire late last month when two researchers made it
>>especially easy for regular people to see what their 3G-enabled
>>iPhones and iPads had collected about their whereabouts. Though the
>>existence of the location cache has never been a secret, experts
>>agreed that the release of iOS 4 last year made it easier than ever
>>for shady individuals to see where you've been, either by
>>jailbreaking your iPhone or simply accessing the file from your iOS
>>backup in iTunes. The iPhone and iPad kept logs of user locations
>>even when Location Services were turned off in the iOS settings, and
>>there was no apparent way to get rid of the log on the phone or the
>>computer.
>>
>>Apple finally addressed the issue a week later by answering a number
>>of questions about the cache. The company reiterated that it's not
>>tracking users and doesn't transmit the data back to Apple-the
>>company said it uses the cell tower and WiFi hotspot information to
>>help determine your location when using GPS, among other things.
>>Still, Apple said iOS's ability to keep tracking users-even after
>>Location Services was turned off-was a bug, and that a software
>>update would be released soon to fix it.
>>
>>The company never gave a specific timeframe for when the update
>  >would be available, so today's release is somewhat of a pleasant
>>surprise. It's important to remember, however, that the location
>>cache still resides on your iPhone or iPad even though it's no
>>longer backed up to the computer. So if you don't want jealous
>>spouses or crazed stalkers to jailbreak your phone and find out
>>where you've been, you'll want to keep Location Services turned off
>>for good.
>
>
>--
>Roger Clarke                                 http://www.rogerclarke.com/
>
>Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd      78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
>                     Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916
>mailto:Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au                http://www.xamax.com.au/
>
>Visiting Professor in the Cyberspace Law & Policy Centre      Uni of NSW
>Visiting Professor in Computer Science    Australian National University
>_______________________________________________
>Link mailing list
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-- 
Graham Greenleaf AM
Professor of Law & Information Systems, University of New South Wales (UNSW)

Co-Director, Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII)
Founding Director, Cyberspace Law and Policy Centre, UNSW (2000-10)
Asia-Pacific Editor, Privacy Laws & Business International Report (PLBIR)

Visiting Fellow, AHRC/SCRIPT Centre, Faculty of Law, University of Edinburgh
Inaugural CommonLII Fellow, Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, 
Univ. of London
Visiting Fellow, Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary, Univ. of London
International Scholar, Kyung Hee University Law School, Seoul, Korea
Global Faculty, GIGA Institute, NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, India

Mail: Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales - Room 224
UNSW SYDNEY NSW 2052  Australia (UNSW CRICOS Provider No: 00098G)
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(For locations in 2011, publications and biography, see above web pages)
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