Bits Blog: With i0S 8, Apple Says Data 1s Better Protected, Even From the Police

Apple wants to make clear that it wants nobody snooping around in your private information, not even the police.

The company on Wednesday night said that its latest software system, iOS 8, included deep protection of the information stored on Apple mobile devices. So deep, in fact, that the company says it has become technically impossible for it to respond to government warrants asking for customer information like photos, email, messages, contacts, call history and notes, to be extracted from devices.

The company said all this information was under the protection of a customer's passcode, the four-digit number used to log in to the phone. In the past, Apple was able to extract certain types of information from devices, even when they were locked with a passcode, in response to a valid search warrant.

Apple announced the revised privacy policy on its new privacy webpage, apple.com/privacy, which included a letter written by Timothy D. Cook, Apple's chief.

"Unlike our competitors, Apple cannot bypass your passcode and therefore cannot access this data," the company said on the new webpage. "So it's not technically feasible for us to respond to government warrants for the extraction of this data from devices in their possession running iOS 8."

The new webpage includes explanations for what types of information Apple does and does not collect, and why. It also lists Apple's latest so-called transparency reports, which breaks down how, when and why it handles requests from law enforcement or government agencies seeking information about customers.

The webpage also teaches consumers how to turn on important security features, like two-step verification, to protect themselves from hackers.

In his letter, Mr. Cook emphasized that Apple was unlike other Internet companies that benefit from collecting customer data and sharing it with third parties, like advertisers.

"Our business model is very straightforward: We sell great products," he said. "We don't build a profile based on your email content or web browsing habits to sell to advertisers."

Apple's ability to protect customer information was openly questioned after a number of celebrities discovered that hackers broke into their Apple accounts, stole nude or provocative photos, and posted those photos on the Internet. After the incident, Mr. Cook said the company would strengthen some security measures for iCloud, its cloud service, and work harder to educate consumers on protecting their accounts.

An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment beyond the statements in Mr. Cook's letter.

source : http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/640316/s/3e934cc4/sc/21/l/0Lbits0Bblogs0Bnytimes0N0C20A140C0A90C170Cwith0Eios0E80Eapple0Esays0Edata0Eis0Ebetter0Eprotected0Eeven0Efrom0Ethe0Epolice0C0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm