This quote is pretty consistent with my take on what Apple has been up to:
> In the end , Apple deploys privacy and security justifications as an elastic shield that can stretch or contract to serve Apple's financial and business interests .
> In the end , Apple deploys privacy and security justifications as an elastic shield that can stretch or contract to serve Apple's financial and business interests .
But in general, Apple has relentlessly set standards for data privacy that no other business seemed willing or able to provide. Far from perfect, (CN datacenters) but still seemingly far out ahead.
People don't normally pay for privacy or data security because they're not considered valuable until something bad happens.
So I can at least understand why the company might lean on this loss-leader to try and prop up its position in the face of unwanted regulation.
One of the big differences between Google and Apple is that users treat Google (IMO rightly) as a privacy threat, but treat Apple as a privacy ally. Apple's data privacy positions look a lot different if you treat them also as a privacy threat. For example, it becomes really odd that you can't set a non-Apple secure messaging app as your SMS app, or set a non-Apple browser as your default web browser. Apple insists that you share your browsing and messaging data with them.
What's the risk here? The risk is that, as has happened with nearly every darling tech company in history, Apple decides to end the honeymoon period at some point because that's what the market demands. Then you're in a position where you've handed over to Apple gobs of private data that they have unencrypted backups of.
What are you even talking about? You can E2EE all your information in iCloud, even your iOS backups, such that Apple cannot access them.
- hashes of files and photos are not E2E encrypted even with ADP on, and are accessible by Apple, "so Apple can perform deduplication". It also means they still know if you have a given photo in your photo roll.
- file type, file size, modifid/created timestamps (Photos/Drive) are not E2E encrypted even with ADP on, and are accessible by Apple
Apple says these are due to technical limitations and they're working on it, but be aware of these limitations.
Also, the whole "security" bs is exactly the same thing as governments saying we're doing this to protect you citizens from pedophiles / terrorists / druglords.
I find this hard to believe nowerdays given what I read 3 months ago regarding law enforcement and push notification data. Google had set the standard higher in this situation.
https://www.reuters.com/technology/apple-now-requires-judges...
Hell, with Apple's cash hoard, they could afford to give iPhones away for at least a couple years without much trouble. I'm not saying companies should be obligated to do crazy things like this once they have "enough" money, but I think it illustrates that there's no inherent reason why many companies need to take any particular action that increases revenue, regardless of the consequences.
Apple's long-standing culture of secrecy and exclusivity is the problem, really.
In other words, they're saying Apple's privacy and security stance is a bit like the trope of politicians saying "think of the children!" whenever they are selling a law that restricts liberty.