Tim Cook Slams Data Collection as 'Weaponized Against Us with Military Efficiency'

cageymaru

cageymaru

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Apple CEO Tim Cook's impassioned speech at a privacy conference in Brussels slammed data collection companies for committing surveillance on their users to fuel oppressive regimes and monetary gains from selling private user data. Tim Cook says, "We shouldn't sugarcoat the consequences. This is surveillance. And these stockpiles of personal data serve only to enrich the companies that collect them."

"Every day, billions of dollars change hands, and countless decisions are made, on the basis of our likes and dislikes, our friends and families, our relationships and conversations. Our wishes and fears, our hopes and dreams," Cook said. "These scraps of data, each one harmless enough on its own, are carefully assembled, synthesized, traded, and sold." "Your profile is then run through algorithms that can serve up increasingly extreme content, pounding our harmless preferences into hardened convictions," Cook said.
 
captainyarr said:
This is the same guy who moved cloud data to China to allow the Chinese Communist government easy access to private user data. He's talking about himself.
Click to expand...

He's also the person who hasn't turned Mac OS into data-theftware like Windows is, and is the person that has been publicly speaking out against corporations stealing and exploiting data from their customers for years. It's good that he's doing so.
 
captainyarr said:
This is the same guy who moved cloud data to China to allow the Chinese Communist government easy access to private user data. He's talking about himself.
Click to expand...

Delicieuxz said:
He's also the person who hasn't turned Mac OS into data-theftware like Windows is, and is the person that has been publicly speaking out against corporations stealing and exploiting data from their customers for years. It's good that he's doing so.
Click to expand...

"Do as I say, not as I do"
 
I am not an apple fan at all, but I will say this. I switched from the iPhone line to the Pixal XL 2 last year, since then it has been very noticeable that the level of 'spying' by my device has increased exponentially. It is all linked to the Pixal always listening.

Some examples:

I talked with my wife about getting a truck briefly a few weeks back. Suddenly every ad I get on the phone is a truck ad.

We had a family cold for about 3 weeks, every ad was then for otravin and cold meds.

If I talk about where I am going, the phone will automatically say how much traffic is in my way and how long the commute will be.

Sex with my wife with the phone around, ads for contraceptives.

The level to which this phone spies on me is heads and tails above any iPhone I've had, its frankly creepy as fuck. I now leave it in another room and only have it on me when needed.

Edit: It is possible that the iPhone also spied, but it was never as blatant as this, they (google) really just don't give a fuck.
 
Funny to say this, but I agree with everyone in the thread so far. Apple does the same thing. However, it's also good to have prominent people speaking out about it too. So yes, as someone else said, do as I say, not as I do. In this case though, I'd say it's at least somewhat helpful to a small degree. Kind of a weird situation. I also agree that the Mac's OS "SEEMS" to be less invasive. I run Windows 10 on several PCs in my house, but my daughter and I both have Macbooks as well. I generally prefer the way the Mac behaves in this regard.
 
J3RK said:
Funny to say this, but I agree with everyone in the thread so far. Apple does the same thing. However, it's also good to have prominent people speaking out about it too.
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Let us don our tin foil hats for a second.
Every caught someone stealing something and they throw a huge theatrical show proclaiming their innocents? What better way to make Apple look like the "good" data collecting company than to have the CEO come out and really put on a show about how bad it is. Apple's recent phone\laptop repair crackdowns continues to make me questions how sincere they are. When I listen to one company talk about bad practices, I assume it's because they want their competition to get targeted so that they can better develop their bad practices to become the dominating standard.

But let's not kid ourselves, the Govt is collecting all our data anyways, so who cares?!
 
Aireoth said:
I am not an apple fan at all, but I will say this. I switched from the iPhone line to the Pixal XL 2 last year, since then it has been very noticeable that the level of 'spying' by my device has increased exponentially. It is all linked to the Pixal always listening.

Some examples:

I talked with my wife about getting a truck briefly a few weeks back. Suddenly every ad I get on the phone is a truck ad.

We had a family cold for about 3 weeks, every ad was then for otravin and cold meds.

If I talk about where I am going, the phone will automatically say how much traffic is in my way and how long the commute will be.

Sex with my wife with the phone around, ads for contraceptives.

The level to which this phone spies on me is heads and tails above any iPhone I've had, its frankly creepy as fuck. I now leave it in another room and only have it on me when needed.

Edit: It is possible that the iPhone also spied, but it was never as blatant as this, they (google) really just don't give a fuck.
Click to expand...

This goes all the way back to 2004. I still remember Eric Schmidt announcing their plan to gather and organize everything. Thing is, though, most people aren't paying attention.

I am fine with people not giving a fuck about their own privacy. But remember let's not forget what Cardinal Richelieu said a few hundred years ago
If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest of men, I will find something in them which will hang him
Click to expand...

Now remember that google likely has gigabytes upon gigabytes of data on each and every one of us. This is some scary shit because it means no honest person will ever make it in politics.

I just made myself sad :(
 
captainyarr said:
This is the same guy who moved cloud data to China to allow the Chinese Communist government easy access to private user data. He's talking about himself.
Click to expand...

Shhh

You're going to ruin the surprise.
 
Ahh hell, he is just paranoid. Or something. :)

Or,..or,...damn it! He collected my tirades on this very topic! Good luck monitizing that,...hehe.
 
captainyarr said:
This is the same guy who moved cloud data to China to allow the Chinese Communist government easy access to private user data. He's talking about himself.
Click to expand...

Ah, here we observe the disastrous intersection of capitalism and personal liberty. If Tim Cook enforced a hard line stance on Chinese caveats on privacy and abandoned the market for the moral high ground, he would be quickly removed as CEO for not acting in the best interest of the shareholders and leaving all that profit on the table.
 
BitMaster said:
100x better than not saying ANYTHING. You gotta start somewhere...where's Google ? Any word from them about "MY" data ?

Mine, my , me, I, and NOT YOURS google.
Click to expand...
Agreed better than not saying anything.

As for Google, they've been upfront from day one that their free services are made possible by collecting data for advertising - they've never tried to hide or obfuscate that.

Microsoft on the other hand has been completely disingenuous about it - first trying to play good guy with the Scroogled campaign, but then going full steam ahead with their own data collection and then having the nerve to swear "hey it's just to make windows better", disguising the telemetry shit in trojan KB updates with vague descriptions for Win 7 and 8.1, playing games with turning data collection back on after you thought you disabled or minimized it in Win10, the list goes on.

If anyone needs to be heard from it's Nadella, but that isn't going to happen. So bravo for Tim Cook for at least talking.
 
Dalexx said:
Let us don our tin foil hats for a second.

But let's not kid ourselves, the Govt is collecting all our data anyways, so who cares?!
Click to expand...

I would rather the government have my data then slimy companies like Google and Facefuck…

Lets see here... Gave the government my fingerprints in kindergarten... Sure you did too...
 
DPI said:
Agreed better than not saying anything.

As for Google, they've been upfront from day one that their free services are made possible by collecting data for advertising - they've never tried to hide or obfuscate that.

...cut......
Click to expand...

You are right, I have a Gmail account, BUT they also collect data from anyone that hasn't got a Google Account, and that is NOT OK.

One has to fight & struggle to get them off the heels
 
dgz said:
This goes all the way back to 2004. I still remember Eric Schmidt announcing their plan to gather and organize everything. Thing is, though, most people aren't paying attention.

I am fine with people not giving a fuck about their own privacy. But remember let's not forget what Cardinal Richelieu said a few hundred years ago


Now remember that google likely has gigabytes upon gigabytes of data on each and every one of us. This is some scary shit because it means no honest person will ever make it in politics.

I just made myself sad :(
Click to expand...

What blows my mind is how head first so much of society seems to be diving into the 'blame and shame' game. Its mob justice, its haphazard, and like Richelieu said, everyone can be hanged by it.

Edit: The post below is exactly how these things start, Tim Cook couldn't really have a point, he is just the same and a hypocrite. Only the pure of heart and hands can cast a stone...
 
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Delicieuxz said:
He's also the person who hasn't turned Mac OS into data-theftware like Windows is, and is the person that has been publicly speaking out against corporations stealing and exploiting data from their customers for years. It's good that he's doing so.
Click to expand...

Apple and MacOS are no better. Just ask Siri...

In regards to your second point; that’s what we call a hypocrite.
 
You want more tinfoil hats? Big data is big business, it's big money. Apple built their business by delivering boutique hardware with the simplest, most human interface they could develop. Apple collects data, but it's related to their businesses, and ads only appear through the Apple App Store or through Apple's news service.

Google built their business by offering useful platforms (search, email, cell phone) that could easily collect the kind of data that corporations will pay for. Apple and Google come from different backgrounds, but they are converging on a few key markets: cell phones, music services, personal computers, maps, cloud computing, etc. But Apple's business is boutique hardware and interfaces, and even though they do it well, they can't compete with the money Google gets from big data. They just cant't, and eventually Google will outspend them.

<puts on tinfoil hat> So Apple has to either A) find a new revenue stream, B) get into big data themselves (where they are behind), or C) stop Google's big data money flow.
 
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Aireoth said:
I am not an apple fan at all, but I will say this. I switched from the iPhone line to the Pixal XL 2 last year, since then it has been very noticeable that the level of 'spying' by my device has increased exponentially. It is all linked to the Pixal always listening.

Some examples:

I talked with my wife about getting a truck briefly a few weeks back. Suddenly every ad I get on the phone is a truck ad.

We had a family cold for about 3 weeks, every ad was then for otravin and cold meds.

If I talk about where I am going, the phone will automatically say how much traffic is in my way and how long the commute will be.

Sex with my wife with the phone around, ads for contraceptives.

The level to which this phone spies on me is heads and tails above any iPhone I've had, its frankly creepy as fuck. I now leave it in another room and only have it on me when needed.

Edit: It is possible that the iPhone also spied, but it was never as blatant as this, they (google) really just don't give a fuck.
Click to expand...

Might be a good time to back off the amphetamines.

DPI said:
Microsoft on the other hand has been completely disingenuous about it - first trying to play good guy with the Scroogled campaign, but then going full steam ahead with their own data collection and then having the nerve to swear "hey it's just to make windows better", disguising the telemetry shit in trojan KB updates with vague descriptions for Win 7 and 8.1, playing games with turning data collection back on after you thought you disabled or minimized it in Win10, the list goes on.

If anyone needs to be heard from it's Nadella, but that isn't going to happen. So bravo for Tim Cook for at least talking.
Click to expand...

The telemetry uptick on windows 10 from windows 10 is almost unfathomable. The inability to disable it without significantly advanced computer skills/knowledge is literally impossible.
 
Oh, sort of like how religious/political/self-interest campaigning, propaganda and speeches have been weaponized and used to shape ideologies of civilizations for thousands of years at the expense of billions of innocent lives just so someone could make a quick buck or feel good about themselves?

Nothing but the same song... this is just the 21st Century version.

I'm going to laugh so hard when this all blows up in their faces.

All this data collection only empowers individuals further, especially if you know what you are doing.

People who feel empowered tend to be the worst offenders, for they can do no wrong in their eyes.

Anytime you amass anything, it becomes a target or has a habit of going wayward.

Regimes change, and nothing lasts forever.

I just hope I live long enough to laugh.

If not, maybe someone in the far future will resurrect me just so we can enjoy a good chuckle about how silly this really all was.

Until then, I'm going to enjoy the popcorn show.

Edit: I never get relevant ads to anything... but then again I only ever visit 2 or 3 websites on a regular basis. I don't give people the option to advertise to me. I look the other direction when passing by the advertising kiosks, and sneak only the samples I like when I'm at Costco... I never give them a chance to say their pitch...
 
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hlfbkd420 said:
Lets see here... Gave the government my fingerprints in kindergarten... Sure you did too...
Click to expand...

Nope, we didn't have kindergarten available back when I was a young pup, So I was totally of the grid until 18, then I've gave them my prints many times over since then.
 
ThatsAgood1jay said:
Ah, here we observe the disastrous intersection of capitalism and personal liberty. If Tim Cook enforced a hard line stance on Chinese caveats on privacy and abandoned the market for the moral high ground, he would be quickly removed as CEO for not acting in the best interest of the shareholders and leaving all that profit on the table.
Click to expand...
Exactly. Any company that wants to do business in China has to play by their rules. How much would APPL drop if they got banned from China? It would be a disaster for them (or any other company for that matter that wanted to try to fight China)
 
He cares nothing about this.

He just knows it's the bread and butter of his biggest competitor. With Apple losing market share, his only strategy is to trip up the other guys to make him look better by comparison.
 
im so torn
everyone knows im no fan of apple.... but i do like hearing him say these things.... but we all know he is talking about his own damn company..... and that makes him two faced..... and hey... surprise, he runs apple!!! and GOTO 10.
 
You know it took a lot of courage for Tim Cook to say this after taking everyone's data and selling it for years. But, now that someone else is selling it, it is time for *rips open shirt* captain COURAGE! You get em Tim.
 
what , no names Tim Cook ? sigh, just another empty blabber talk with European parliament, European parliament, European parliament,European parliament,European parliament,European parliament,European parliament,European parliament,European parliament,European parliament,European parliament,European parliament,European parliament,European parliament,European parliament,European parliament,European parliament,European parliament,European parliament,European parliament,European parliament.. in the background
 
captainyarr said:
This is the same guy who moved cloud data to China to allow the Chinese Communist government easy access to private user data. He's talking about himself.
Click to expand...

aaaaaaaand the alternative is what? Sell nothing there so another company can do the exact same thing? Its a requirement to sell there, Apple have no say.
 
Aireoth said:
I am not an apple fan at all, but I will say this. I switched from the iPhone line to the Pixal XL 2 last year, since then it has been very noticeable that the level of 'spying' by my device has increased exponentially. It is all linked to the Pixal always listening.

Some examples:

I talked with my wife about getting a truck briefly a few weeks back. Suddenly every ad I get on the phone is a truck ad.

We had a family cold for about 3 weeks, every ad was then for otravin and cold meds.

If I talk about where I am going, the phone will automatically say how much traffic is in my way and how long the commute will be.

Sex with my wife with the phone around, ads for contraceptives.

The level to which this phone spies on me is heads and tails above any iPhone I've had, its frankly creepy as fuck. I now leave it in another room and only have it on me when needed.

Edit: It is possible that the iPhone also spied, but it was never as blatant as this, they (google) really just don't give a fuck.
Click to expand...


My brother and I were on vacation heading to the store to get supplies. We both mentioned toilet paper. He unlocks his phone and inside twitter and FB sees ads for TP.
 
aokman said:
aaaaaaaand the alternative is what? Sell nothing there so another company can do the exact same thing? Its a requirement to sell there, Apple have no say.
Click to expand...

just don't sell to China. Profit being the end-goal has already screwed us over. No reason to follow the ultra rich's philosophy to let profit win over ethics every single time. You're doing yourself harm in the long run if you do . ( well assuming you're not part of the 1%)
 
Oversight and uncomfortable scrutiny need to be shoved into these tech companies for anything to change. People with clout, like Tim Cook, need to say these things so that people understand what's happening. It's been the wild west for tech companies starting with "I'll just scan your emails for keywords" to now "I need to know your location every minute." WTF And it's not like this level of surveillance has some noble cause. It's for stupid advertisements.
 
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