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You Are the Product: Default Settings to “Steal” Your Privacy Data

October 21, 2014

It amazes me that nobody seems to read the terms of service or the permission settings when installing software or configuring devices. In this day of instant gratification it seems as though the normal actions are click, click, click on the “I accept” button. That seems to be what Apple is counting on too. The latest version of Mac OS X Yosemite defaults to send your location information and search query to Apple whenever you use Spotlight. You can turn it off, but the disturbing fact is that it is enabled by default. This is from a company that is encrypting the iPhone 6 with iOS 8 by default to prevent law enforcement or anybody else from accessing the data on your phone.

Keep your data private and change the default setting!

I would recommend turning off location services on ANY device. Turn it on only when you need to use an application that needs GPS data. That goes for all you Android, Windows and BlackBerry users too. The device/application vendors are making money off of you as the product by capturing your usage and location data.

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