iPhone Analytics Settings Collect Personal Data Illegally

Simon Coulthard November 18, 2022

1-minute read Minute Read

On November 10, a class-action lawsuit was launched against Apple, alleging that the tech giant is still monitoring user behavior even when they have the option turned off.

Two independent researchers at the software company Mysk discovered the issue when they found out that the App Store sends extensive information to Apple about almost everything a user does in the app, despite a privacy setting called iPhone Analytics that, when turned off, is supposed to "disable the sharing of Device Analytics altogether."

Read more about this situation on the Gizmodo website.

iPhone Apps Track Users’ Activity

Detailed usage data is still transmitted to Apple when a user is active in the App Store, despite the fact that Apple added strong protections in iOS 14.5 to avoid fingerprinting.

The researchers conducted additional tests using the Apple Music, Apple TV, Books, and Stocks iPhone applications. They discovered that this occurs in the majority of Apple's iPhone built-in apps.

The researchers described how the App Store gathers data on each and every action you take, including what you clicked on, which apps you searched for, which advertising you saw, how long you spent looking at a certain app, and even how you saw the ad.

The app also transmits information about you and your devices, such as ID numbers, the model of iPhone you're using, your screen resolution, the languages on your keyboard, and your internet connection method. Briefly, fingerprinting specifics.

You can learn more about this issue by watching this video.

Elliot Libman, the plaintiff in the case, claims that Apple violated the California Invasion of Privacy Act.

According to Libman, Apple has emphasized privacy to set the iPhone apart from Android phones, yet "Privacy is one of the main issues that Apple uses to set its products apart from competitors. But Apple’s privacy guarantees are completely illusory."

For a company that claims to be focused on taking care of user privacy, these findings and allegations are quite worrying.