Apple's Privacy Update Will Backfire

Privacy has become more important to consumers in recent years, with the rise of social networks that hold a scary amount of personal data and smartphones that give advertisers access to personal info unheard of pre-iPhone. Apple hasn't been immune from criticism - quite the opposite. Path, a social networking app, was found to be accessing contact information from the iOS address book (so they could then alert users when their friends joined) without users' permissions. People were appalled that Apple left such a gaping hole in iOS and Congress demanded more was done for user privacy. According to PCWorld.com, Apple has now changed their system in iOS 6 and users will be asked in advance if an app tries to use sensitive information - think UAC in Microsoft Windows. UAC isn't liked by many - it does improve data security but it does so at a cost of bombarding the user. You want to install an app? UAC asks "Are you sure?" After a while users start to just accept them regardless, which will negate any benefit the system initially offered. Now Apple knows this - if the company wanted to genuinely help, it could limit app developers access to certain parts of the operating system. Instead, by making users jump through hoops, Apple is just legally doing what is required, not what is expected by the user.