Sign In with Google
Sign In with Facebook
Apple Tightens Privacy Control
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has declared that it will now require a judge's warrant to divulge information concerning its users' push notifications to law enforcement agencies. This recent development places the company's policy on the same level as competitor Google and heightens the legal threshold agencies must surpass to access user data.
Publicly Available Guidelines
Apple's current policy, which was not formally declared, debuted on the company's publicly shared law enforcement guidelines in the past few days. It was revealed by the Senator of Oregon, Ron Wyden, that authorities were demanding such data from not just Apple but Google as well, the Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) company responsible for Android's operating system.
The Role of Push Notifications
A vast array of apps hinge on push notifications to signal smartphone users about incoming messages, urgent news, and other updates. These notifications, whether they are instantaneous sound alerts or visible triggers, are usually sent across servers owned by Google and Apple.
Potential Surveillance Risks
According to a letter first shared by Reuters, Wyden notes these practices provide the two firms with exclusive insights into user data flow, positioning them uniquely to enable government surveillance of specific app usage. Both Google and Apple confirmed they received such requests, prompting Apple to reinforce its rules around data sharing, requiring stricter legal warrants.
Reaction from Stakeholders
No official statement was issued by Apple, and Google has yet to respond to requests for comment. Senator Wyden commended Apple's latest action, appreciating the new policy that matches Google's stringent requirements for relaying push notification data with a court order.
