Apple's 'incredibly private' Safari not so private in Europe
www.theregister.com
Infosec eggheads find iGiant left EU iOS 17 users open to being tracked around the web

Apple’s grudging accommodation of European antitrust rules by allowing third-party app stores on iPhones has left users of its Safari browser exposed to potential web activity tracking.

Developers Talal Haj Bakry and Tommy Mysk looked into the way Apple implemented the installation process for third-party software marketplaces on iOS with Safari, and concluded Cupertino’s approach is particularly shoddy.

  • some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org
    15·
    15 days ago

    Apple – which advertises Safari as “incredibly private” – evidently has undermined privacy among European Union Safari users through a marketplace-kit: URI scheme that potentially allows approved third-party app stores to follow those users around the web.

    I don’t see Apple deliberately sabotaging their platform to maliciously comply and blame the regulation for making users less safe. This was probably an error caused by quick development to comply within a set timeline that will be resolved in the future through software changes.

    • Skull giver@popplesburger.hilciferous.nl
      9·
      15 days ago

      I’m not so sure. The DMA says they have to allow others to have access to the same platform features they have access to. That means Apple can opt into either no longer doing data collection in their app store, or they have to allow third party app stores to do the same kind of tracking Apple does.

      They could’ve chosen to simply stop tracking users, but allowing third party app stores to track users is clearly more profitable. Plus, they get to spread FUD about the big evil EU forcing them to let other companies do the shady stuff they do!

      On the other hand, this only applies to app stores, and practically nobody installs third party app stores, and even then the app stores are generally not that interested in this kind of tracking. It’s a big nothingburger caused by Apple’s laziness and their hostility to fair competition.