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Big Brother is Tracking You

Written by RetailWire Staff

While much of the media and blogosphere were reacting to last week's revelations that iPhones and iPads were tracking (and keeping data on) users' movements, business observers were taking a possibly more sinister view. Breeches of corporate confidentiality, albeit solvable, were seen as potentially more serious than consumer concerns about privacy.

Some reports also claimed that the real story is simply that no one paid much attention until now to either the personal or business implications. This is not absolutely true. In addition to Apple's assertion of its intentions in its terms and conditions, news of the tracking was publicized in a book published in December 2010, according to InformationWeek. Apple also provided written details to a House committee about its location-based services back in July 2010. PCMag explained that it started collecting data in 2008 in response to consumer demand, but accessed it from Google and Skyhook Wireless earlier still.

InformationWeek believes questions from regulators in the U.S. and elsewhere could be deemed political opportunism but goes on to say that the system still merits further examination. Explaining that for companies issuing iPhones and iPads to employees, or permitting them to use their own devices for business purposes, lack of security is a particularly critical issue. While this may present opportunities for increased productivity at minimal cost, it does carry risks.

Alasdair Allan and Pete Warden, the security experts who started the current debate, alerted people to the fact that location data is readily available. PCMag reports their initial blogpost observing, "The file is unencrypted and unprotected, and it's on any machine you've synched with your iOS device. It can also be easily accessed on the device itself if it falls into the wrong hands."

Of equal or more concern is employees' access to business email via portable devices backed up at home. Quoting lawyer Alexander H. Southwell, InformationWeek points out potential conflicts between convenience and risk mean making clear "there's no expectation of privacy." Miriam Wugmeister, chair of the global privacy practice at law firm Morrison & Foerster, agreed but stressed that while understanding of what is and is not permissible is needed, there are also technological means of separating business and personal data.

Following global coverage of its alleged awareness of users' locations, Apple eventually added a response to a Frequently Asked Question on its website. Apple claimed that people were "confused" and didn't understand the data was totally anonymous and crowdsourced. The company is not tracking users but the locations of hotspots and cell phone towers.

[Author's commentary] From an employee perspective, there needs to be mutual trust. After all, do you really, really want the boss to know where you are 24/7? And are you really, really sure none of your colleagues can access the unsecured data? And finally, are you really, really sure no one who knows your movements will share them with someone you would prefer remained in the dark?

Rick Moss, RetailWire's president, particularly likes the example of an executive found to be repeatedly checking into a hotel near a competitor. This could, apparently, raise questions about industrial espionage, a potential takeover bid or even illicit relationships between competitors/colleagues.

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