Apple Launches New Privacy Website, But Policies Unchanged

Apple is expanding its website on privacy with more explanations about its commitments, though its policies and practices aren't changing. The new site is part of Apple's ongoing push to distinguish itself from data-hungry, advertising-fuelled rivals such as Google and Facebook.

“Privacy is a fundamental human right. At Apple, it's also one of our core values. Your devices are important to so many parts of your life. What you share from those experiences, and who you share it with, should be up to you. We design Apple products to protect your privacy and give you control over your information. It's not always easy. But that's the kind of innovation we believe in,” Apple writes on the updated privacy website.

Apple's privacy website is mostly a users' guide with papers on how to prevent apps and other third-party services from unnecessarily tracking users' location and behaviours. It can be access at apple.com/privacy. The company's actual privacy policy hasn't changed.

“Previously, if you looked at that URL, you'd find Apple's generic statement about how it protected your personal information, followed by a bunch of info in a confusing order, with a hard-to-read two-column layout on any but the skinniest of window sizes,” The Verge wrote.

Many of the new privacy enhancements were announced earlier as part of Apple's iOS 13 software update for iPhones. Changes include the ability to sign in to third-party services with an Apple ID account rather than Facebook's or Google's, plus more notices and warnings about apps tapping location data.

November 08, 2019