Apple Vs Global Responsibility
In response to Tim's letter....... http://www.apple.com/customer-letter/
It is evident to me that the spirit of Steve Jobs is still running Apple. "I (Steve) know better what you want than you do yourself: so trust me." Now in terms of design I could not agree more. In terms of UI and UX; it is very personal and for me I prefer Android and Windows for flexibility and ability to get below the skin and pick my own accessories but that does not really matter as I can run Ubuntu on a PiZero with Tor. Now in terms of privacy, which is the current story: Apples' trust me I know better is a corporate arrogance that does not wash at all. #youdontknowbetter
Apple does not own me or my data. Apple must take its responsibility in law to do it best to protect me but that does not mean keep my personal data safe at the expense of letting the guy next to me harm my fellow global citizens. Have my data as I have a deep preference for life, democracy (whatever that is) and freedom. The data that really matters is protected by someone else and unfortunately with the assistance of a password and user ID #theweaklink which some companies offer to remember for you to make your life easy and breach the terms of the site that holds your secure data!
I personally don' t like the accession that because my data is on or passes through an Apple device of choice, that Apple or anyone else can lay claim to it. No-one can own data or privacy. Everyone can have rights to data but it ownership is way more difficult. Who owns a till receipt, who owns your heart rate, who owns where you work, who owns your choices? Do you own the air you breath or the ground your walk or the atoms that make your body? The value is not in the ownership but the right(s) to do something with it. There is no value in receipts in your wallet but the analysis may highlight your preferences or indeed an intent.
Apple does not own untethered rights to use my data. Do you believe that Apple should be able to use all of your data however they want to and then hide behind a cloak of privacy? Should Apple find in an algorithm an intent to break the law; does their duty then become to inform law enforcement? Do you remember when you got that shiny new device out of the box and agreeing to their terms? You agreed to using the device as that is what you wanted to agree to. You had no option but to agree to the terms and all of them if you wanted to use the device. You agreed to everything as there was no option to do anything else. Perhaps we can have a new setting to agree to when setting up a new device: Don't agree so send it back (bit of a waste of time if you just purchased it): Agree and be a global citizen and secure to a level and control your own data or: Agree to Apple only and give up all rights to your data and trust them - really secure, trust them!
The issue is not about Apple protecting my data, they have a duty of care to do that which is set in law. It is the position that Apple knows better than anyone and what everyone wants….. that gets me vocal. I did not pick a cult when I chose my device I picked a well-designed bit of kit then used Google, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and a stack of apps. I don't use Apple apps as they are not integrated onto my other devices so why is Apple better that securing data than my Bank? Call records are in two places, email is in two places, location is in many places, social is open to friends, my data is all over the place. One device (smart phone) makes it easy to make sense of it as it is integrated. My voting to buy a device was not a vote to a company to dictate law or what global citizenship and responsibility means - I vote in a "free" elections for those aspects and that is then national law.
Apple and responsibility
In truth I am not sure anyone really knows how many elements are in Apples devices but in truth I have a preference that we get back to using a few elements and aim for recycling and sustainability over protecting my data. Please stop using rare earth metals. How can you claim to know me, know my data, protect me, want me to trust you on one thing and ignore everything else! #fantasticselfpublicity You cannot take the high ground on privacy and ignore manufacturing, labour costs, packaging, sustainability, lock out (code 53) and everything else. Apple knows best is either for everything or one thing but not a pick and mix off the sweet counter of trendy topics to self-promote.
So for me the Spirit of Steve lives on (I know best) but his Apple appears to have lost the core edge and excellence in design which he did know best and is now making up the gap by assuming as a company they know best about everything else. For me Apple should put it energy in and focus on fighting for design and not pretend to me my self-proclaimed protector.