Apple's Tim Cook On User Privacy: Takes a Swipe at "Competitors"

[engine]

Apple's Tim Cook has decided to make a statement on privacy, whilst taking a pop at "competitors."

The timing of this follows the hack of user pictures, and the upgrading of the iCloud security announced shortly afterwards. Note: Apple was not hacked.
The message clearly states what Apple does with your data, and that if you decide to stop it using, or wish to reset your nonpersistent Advertising Identifier you can.

There are quite a few reminders of ensuring security and password protection, so it's a useful document for anyone with and Apple iOS device.

Interestingly, it suggests using DuckDuckGo for search to avoid tracking.

At Apple, your trust means everything to us. That’s why we respect your privacy and protect it with strong encryption, plus strict policies that govern how all data is handled.

Security and privacy are fundamental to the design of all our hardware, software, and services, including iCloud and new services like Apple Pay. And we continue to make improvements. Two-step verification, which we encourage all our customers to use, in addition to protecting your Apple ID account information, now also protects all of the data you store and keep up to date with iCloud.

We believe in telling you up front exactly what’s going to happen to your personal information and asking for your permission before you share it with us. And if you change your mind later, we make it easy to stop sharing with us. Every Apple product is designed around those principles. When we do ask to use your data, it’s to provide you with a better user experience. Apple's Tim Cook On User Privacy [apple.com]

So unlike other companies’ messaging services, Apple doesn’t scan your communications, and we wouldn’t be able to comply with a wiretap order even if we wanted to.

[IanKelley]

So unlike other companies’ messaging services, Apple doesn’t scan your communications, and we wouldn’t be able to comply with a wiretap order even if we wanted to

Apple isn't a telco, which is were the wiretap is going to be so that part is just irrelevant hype. However it's good to see privacy moves like this.

Cook also announced that they are updating their privacy policy. Specifically to remove the language which allowed them to collect and sell basically any data they wanted about their users, through any gathering method. That's iPhone and iPad users mind you, their website TOS is standard. Prior to the change it was one of the worst privacy policies in the industry (from a consumer perspective).

As part of his announcement he said "We sell great products, not your data". Made me chuckle: Ok, yes we were shamelessly selling your data yesterday, but TODAY we only sell great products!

In any case this end result is a silver lining in the celeb scandal.