Google tracks 39 types of personal data, Apple tracks 12 | Hacker News Reader

Google tracks 39 types of personal data, Apple tracks 12

appleinsider.com

16 pointsorionion9 comments

My question is simple, can I use an Apple computer without Apple knowing who I am?

If I can't, then I don't want to use their hardware, software, or services.

I already know that I don't want to use Google's hardware, software, or services.

But can I buy a MacBook, give Apple no personal information, and use that MacBook for years, getting updates and upgrades, installing whatever software I want, without giving them any clue as to who I am?

Don't know but I suspect the answer is no.

Good question. I think the real hitch comes in using the App Store for updates. You can download Mac updates: https://support.apple.com/downloads/macos

They have quite a privacy policy: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/

Which makes me think of Paul Graham's essay when he says "Lucy, you've got a lot explaining to do!" http://www.paulgraham.com/hp.html .

I don't think you can pay on the App store without a credit card. Most top tier Mac developers have their software available for purchase outside of the app store, but it'll certainly get tied to your hardware IDs. Providing false information probably technically violates the terms of service, but I haven't checked. You can probably use gift cards and fake information.

I'd say maybe possible, depending on how you construe the problem.

It beats Windows, but if you care that much about privacy, you'd have to use an ethics (freedom) motivated OS. Microsoft certainly wants you to create an account to install Windows and seems pretty motivated to get something going with tracking you. I've started considering running Linux on M1. I don't think you have to compromise your privacy more than anywhere else to buy Mac hardware, per se.

I think you have to separate the hardware issue from the software issue, although the Mac platform seems a bit less compelling if you just want to install Linux/FreeBSD/whatever.

Appreciate the response,

"if you care that much about privacy, you'd have to use an ethics (freedom) motivated OS"

We all know what the OS is going to be with my requirements.

Just, do I get to use first rate hardware to run it, or second rate, or trash.

Apple is first rate hardware.

https://asahilinux.org/ is looking very promising

"Please submit the original source. If a post reports on something found on another site, submit the latter." https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

AppleInsider is just copying MacRumors, which is copying StockApps, which is copying Digital Information World, which is copying security.org https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32592713

>"Most people do not have the time or patience to read privacy policies that can be several pages long for each website they visit," said StockApps.com's Edith Reads.

>"As a result, users end up allowing Google to harvest all the data they need by agreeing to the privacy policy terms."

The implied notion that users have any other option but to agree to any arbitrary t&c is laughable. What are you going to do? Brick your iPhone/android/tv/smart device, never use Amazon FB etc, etc?

I would like it to be zero. Zero types tracked.

Or at least make it mandatory to have written permission (on paper and signed) from every person they track for every type of personal data that they track. Tracking without such consent should lead to exorbitant fines.

Only 12?

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