Snooping fears plague new iTunes

Apple has been criticised over a new version of its iTunes program that can keep track of a user's listening habits.

The updated software includes a feature that recommends tracks similar to the music being played via iTunes.

Users said Apple had to more open about data being collected because the recommendations use unique identifiers for a computer and iTunes account.

Apple said it did not keep any data gathered after it made recommendations.

The row arose following the update to the iTunes software released by Apple on 10 January.

The new version includes a MiniStore feature that recommends tracks to buy similar to those a user is listening to.

MiniStore looks for similar tracks when a user clicks on a tune in a playlist. It even makes recommendations about songs that were not bought via the hugely popular online music store.

iTunes sends data about the song selected in your library to the iTunes Music Store to provide relevant recommendations. When the MiniStore is hidden, this data is not sent to the iTunes Music Store.

Soon after the update was released, blogger Marc Garrett wrote a journal entry about MiniStore and the data it passes back to Apple.

Further work by other bloggers such as Kirk McElhearn found that the data being sent back to Apple to make the recommendations included artist, title, genre as well as unique identifiers for a computer and iTunes account.

Privacy advocates complained that Apple had not done enough to warn people about the information that was being collected, nor what was being done with the collected data.

By contrast Apple does mention in the licence agreement for iTunes that it contacts the Gracenote music database to work out which album is being played via the program.

"Apple should be clear about its information gathering practices," wrote Mr Garrett on his blog.

Data loss

Apple was not available for comment on the story. On its support website, the company has posted and updated information about how to turn the MiniStore feature off.

"iTunes sends data about the song selected in your library to the iTunes Music Store to provide relevant recommendations," says the entry on its support website.

"When the MiniStore is hidden, this data is not sent to the iTunes Music Store."

Digital detective work by bloggers has confirmed that no data is passed to Apple when MiniStore is turned off.

Macworld magazine reported on its website that an Apple official had told it that nothing was done with the information collected.

The magazine called on Apple to be upfront about the information it was collecting and what was being done with it.

In the past both Microsoft and RealNetworks have got into trouble for not disclosing that they were identifying users individually and monitoring what they were watching.

--BBC 2006-01-13

get a firewall and you will know what is being sent

http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/editors/2006/01/ministore/

http://www.boingboing.net/2006/01/11/itune...ate_spies_.html

http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/01/12/1513223

An Apple "spokesman" (reliable word has it that it was Steve Jobs himself) told MacWorld that Apple discards the personal information that the iTunes Ministore transmits to Apple while you use iTunes.

though if you are an apple fanboi you should be happy they care about you so much that they wish to individualise the content they supply/sell to you.

iTunes has a nasty habit of trying to take over your media files and reindex them as it sees fit, then not give them back to whatever your chosen player is. Personally, I don't have much confidence in any software that tries to "force" you to use it.

Watch what realplayer does... they practically invented the snooping game.

cv

Realplayer is ###### hard to get rid of. You can get rid of the player, but not the bloody popup ad crap.

Realplayer is ###### hard to get rid of. You can get rid of the player, but not the bloody popup ad crap.

I keep it for that rare time I need it, but ZonealarmPro keeps it in tight lockdown until I specificly say it can do something.

I predict that Winamp and WMP will more or less kill off Real Player (which I loved until a few years ago when they went too far on the spying/adware) within the next couple years. Few sites use RP's proprietory format now anyway.

cv

Realplayer is ###### hard to get rid of. You can get rid of the player, but not the bloody popup ad crap.

real alternative http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Real_Alternative.htm

I think people are being a little too paranoid now. Who gives a frack (BSG fan!!) if I Tunes keeps track of the music you listen to? Now if they put up a list of my recently accessed files then that would be a problem as I may be labelled as a porn addict!

hi'

there is also a quicktime alternative

françois

hi'

there is also a quicktime alternative

françois

quicktime is one of the worst hijackers I tried to get rid of it once and then I tunes would not play anymore untill I reinstalled it.