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Comment by russdpale | Hacker News Reader

But the app store allows that apps that collect all sorts of data on you, and doesn't apple get a cut of the sales from apps? Just because its a few steps transient doesn't mean apple has clean hands here.

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Since around 2016 Apple does not expose a stable unique identifier to apps. Users can reset their identifier at any time, opt out of location-based and personalized ads. Apps submitted to the store must follow those guidelines. There is a lot wrong about their policies but you have to give it to them for respecting privacy: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205223

Only if you let them. Apple forces developers to ask the user for permission constantly.

True, but arguably they are making spying harder with each ios release. If profiling and ads were their bread and butter, they would act differently.

It may not be their "bread and butter", but that doesn't mean they don't do it. Every time I see somebody talking about Google spying on users but 'X' company doesn't do it, I start to think there just a fanboy to Apple or whatever the company in question is. You should just assume EVERYBODY is spying. Just because it isn't their primary source of revenue, doesn't mean it isn't a source of revenue at all or isn't of value to them.

There are levels of "spying".

There is "enable microphone, listen in on conversations and adjust ad preferences" and "upload all photos in the background for analysis" and "check the clipboard for interesting stuff every few seconds"

Then there is just normal telemetry, anonymised and used for internal product development.

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