“Google Inc. and other advertising companies have been bypassing the privacy settings of millions of people using Apple Inc.’s Web browser on their iPhones and computers—tracking the Web-browsing habits of people who intended for that kind of monitoring to be blocked,” Julia Angwin and Jennifer Valentino-Devries reports for The Wall Street Journal.
“The companies used special computer code that tricks Apple’s Safari Web-browsing software into letting them monitor many users,” Angwin and Valentino-Devries report. “Safari, the most widely used browser on mobile devices, is designed to block such tracking by default.”
Angwin and Valentino-Devries report, “Google disabled its code after being contacted by The Wall Street Journal.”
Read more in the full article here.
Edward Moyer reports for CNET, “The Journal also said that on one of Google’s sites–in language that has since been removed–the Internet giant had said Safari users could rely on the browser’s privacy settings to avoid tracking by Google.”
“Safari normally blocks cookies used by ad networks and others to track people,” Moyer reports. “The code reportedly tricked Safari into letting a tracking cookie be placed, the Journal said. Safari lets sites place tracking cookies if a user interacts with the site, such as by filling out a form, and the workaround code essentially tricked Safari into thinking people were submitting a form to Google.”
“The Journal said three other online-ad firms had used similar code: Vibrant Media, WPP’s Media Innovation Group, and Gannett’s PointRoll,” Moyer reports. “Vibrant told the Journal that the code is a ‘workaround’ and doesn’t collect personally identifiable data like names or financial-account numbers. WPP declined to comment, the Journal said, and Gannett said the use of the code was part of a ‘limited test’ to count how many Safari users went to an advertiser’s site after seeing an ad.”
Moyer reports, “The Journal said an Apple representative told the paper that Apple was working to prevent the sidestepping of Safari’s privacy settings.””
Read more in the full article, including Google full statement, here.
Lance Whitney reports for CNET, “Today, Microsoft seized on a Wall Street Journal report that Google sidestepped privacy settings in Apple’s Safari browser to track Internet users… ‘Apparently, Google has been able to track users of Apple’s Safari browser while they surf the web on their Apple iPhones, iPads and Macs,’ Ryan Gavin, General Manager for Internet Explorer Business and Marketing, wrote in a blog posted today. ‘This type of tracking by Google is not new. The novelty here is that Google apparently circumvented the privacy protections built into Apple’s Safari browser in a deliberate, and ultimately, successful fashion.'”
“Google has also maintained its innocence in the whole affair, calling the Journal story a mischaracterization of what happened and why,” Whitney reports. “In a statement sent to CNET and attributed to Rachel Whetstone, Google’s senior vice president for Communications and Public Policy, the company said it used known functionality in Safari to provide features that Google users had enabled. Further, the advertising cookies generated did not collect personal information, Google added.”
Read more in the full article here.
Read also: “How Google Tracked Safari Users” via The Wall Street Journal here.
Dum-dah-dum-dahhha-dum! And then the Chief Exec sell over a billion dollars of stock! Bet Congress will get in to the act now.
Wonder why this is taking so long. Where’s the open letter by Al Franken?
Pot calling the kettle black
That’s it, Google needs to DIE! NOW!!!!! THERMONUCLEAR STYLE!!!!!!!
PLUS 1,000,000,000,000
Man if i had an iPhone… I would go to Cali to find a lawyer to get a class action suit to sue Google for $1 Million per iPhone user… sue for mental stress…
…think different…go to Cali, Colombia and get a different kind of lawyer…
lol “lawyer” 😉
Damn Google! You are putting great effort into digging that hole deeper and deeper. I see why Steve wanted to go thermonuclear on your arse!
See sparks flying around the nozzles!
or is that sparks flying around the ‘rim’
See, this is why I block any script from any site of googles.
Noscript (Firefox)
Ghostery (ff and safari)
Wish there was a version for ios though..
Even with Ghostery and cookie preferences set to block cookies from third parties and advertisers, Google seems to find a way to flood Safari with cookies.
Some companies deserve greater suspicion. Through their aggressive data gathering and ad placements, Google is definitely worthy of additional scrutiny. DoubleClick is a prime example of what I despise about Google. I have also noticed that two Google cookies often slide in to Safari just after using the Remove All Website Data preference option and initiating private browsing. Google is no longer my home page and I am actively seeking to avoid Google whenever possible.
I would like Apple to add advanced cookie management to Safari that enables me to easily and permanently blacklist cookies from certain sites while letting the rest through per my cookie preference setting (Block cookies from third parties and advertisers). Either that, or let me set a flag to preserve cookies for selected websites when I delete all cookies. Currently, I either delete all and then re-login to sites, or manually delete the cookies that I don’t like (but they keep coming back).
Apple is justifiably famous for simplifying tasks and processes that were previously complex. Let’s see that Apple genius applied to cookie management in Safari.
I second the request.
“Microsoft denounces”
Well, that’s a laugh. Are they really so clueless? The makers of an operating system that not only sent back to Mordor, I mean Redmond, identifying information and details about their software — but also other applications on your drive.
Don’t do evil –
Oh, unless there is some $ to be had …
No evil good.
More evil better!
So much for … “do no evil”
All along G–gle has been saying, “Do know evil!”
If your Apple device has any trace of Google code in it (the search engine, Google+, Docs, Chrome, etc) then you’re only asking for trouble. Google has absolutely no respect or deference to its users, only contempt and disdain. Users are only dollar signs in Google’s eyes, nothing more. Change your search engine to Bing or Yahoo or (my favorite) DuckDuckGo. What does Google+ provide you that something else doesn’t? How about Gmail privacy? Forget about that. Google doesn’t give a shit about users or privacy. Google is your worst fear and puts spook agencies like the CIA, the KGB, Mossad, Homeland Security to shame. If you stick with Google after reading this, then you have only yourself to blame for your loss of any personal data. Truth.
+1
I would add that I prefer startpage.com over duckduckgo. Both claim not to track you, and I have no reason to doubt them, but startpage allows better customisation for your privacy settings.
& where was apple?
I see a big, fat class-action lawsuit – who’s in?
I am… Enough is enough.
Serious question: as an iPhone user can I sue Google for this crap? I mean seriously, they absolutely have no respect for our rights and recklessly break the law for their own financial benefit.
You can sue anyone for anything at anytime.
To sue someone is simply to bring them to court, and there is never a guarantee that you will win, or even find a lawyer that is willing to represent you.
That being said, I think there is a case here.
The difference being that this will be a class action suit, and I am definitely in!
I think Apple should sue Google on behalf of customers that have had their privacy compromised by Google (also the others involved.)
Pretty sure it was Google themselves who fixed the loophole in webkit 7 months ago.
http://trac.webkit.org/changeset/92142
we must watch companies vigilantly with our privacy.
Rest assured, there will be no FTC investigation, government investigation of any sort, nor will there be any class action lawsuit.
Google is way too deep in with the Obamanation that is going on in D.C. By given the Feds all the acces to the illegal stolen private data that Google collects on unsuspecting sheep.
Here is a free gmail account, a free search, a free google docs… hahaha, how good it is that people are dumb enough to trust us with all their private emails, search, location.
Don’t give sheep, unsuspecting or otherwise, a bad rap. 🙂
you completely discredit anything you say by tying the whole thing into the Obama administration… Remember a little thing called the patriot act? Much more invasive of our privacy than anything Obama has done.
You are so right, Ubermac. It is a commonly accepted fact that Google came into existence in January 20, 2009. No one can dispute that fact. Additionally, Obama is secretly the largest shareholder in Google and the chief software engineer for the search engine.
Are you on crack?
No, crack isn’t that powerful. I think the condition is called “stupidity…”
Awww, did I step on your naive faith in your hero?
It happens to be that Ohbummer is on duty during all that! I haven’t seen any efforts whatsoever by the Obamination to repeal the Patriot Act, or am I missing something?
Next you’ll be claiming he’s a member of the Illuminati.
It’s because of people like you that Americans are held in such low esteem on this side of the pond. You, and certain Hollywood types with their tongues up the assholes of left-wing South American presidents.
Awww, did I hit a sore spot with your love for Ohbummer, the most useless president ever, who said the Internet was a threat to democracy amongst other stupid things.
I am not an American nor live in the USA, so your accusation makes you look like an idiot. You Europeans can’t get your head out of your shitty, antiquated history ass and can’t face the facts that you no longer run he world, you pompous morons.
HOW TO WIN AN INTERNET ARGUMENT
Step 1 – Say amazingly stupid thing.
Step 2 – Get called out on stupidity of amazingly stupid thing you said.
Step 3 – Claim you “hit a nerve”.
——RM
Superb, mind if I use that quote?
Eric T. Mole — Don’t Do Evil is too verbose. Let’s trim it down to Do Evil. That’s the ticket.
That’s more concise than my suggestion, “Do know evil.”
I say there should be a class action law suit against Google by all affected OS X and iOS users. Damages should be at least triple all add revenues generated by Google on these platforms for the entire time they have engaged in these practices.
Let’s get it done. Let’s get a google of us and send a message, once and for all that we still live in America and that we mean to protect our privacy.
Google needs to be split up completely, the merger with Motorola needs to be recalled pending a new investigation due to new facts.
With all that Google has been caught doing including as much as lied to a U.S investigation committee, they keep pulling these bone headed moves with no regard to privacy or saftey, why on earth are they still allowed to do business as usual.
I for one will join in on a class action lawsuit against Google, I would not expect anything from a cash prospective, but what I would like to see is these bozos fined and split up, also as sugested,the Motorola merger stopped in its tracks.
That would be the best payment of all, they have gotten to big for their own good.
If Apple does nothing to punish Google, at minimum removing Google as the default search engine in Safari, It will be a major blow to Apple’s credibility in their commitment to protect their customers.
Apple must in fact take Google to court for hacking their browser platform to steal private data… Demand that all data that was collected be destroyed and damages paid…..
If they don’t, then FCKU APPLE!
Maybe Mountain Lion turns out to be just a PUSSY CAT!
Soooo …. it’s all Apple’s fault.
Calm down you preposterously unhinged fruitcake, half-baked simpleminded ranting and raving, carrying on like a demented hatter who has crossed swords with an insane March hare …
Yes it is partially Apple’s fault for allowing this to go on and not closing this security hole that has been documented for a long time publicly.
Though that is not what I posted above, can’t read you pompous ignoramus?
Wow, so you have intimate details about Safari’s code and know that fixing the security hole is very simple?
Yea it sucks that humans make mistakes writing code.
It sucks even more that other humans take advantage of mistakes and steal stuff instead of being a better person and not doing the wrong thing.
So hopefully Apple does something within their rights and the populous at large nails Google to the wall in court.
Quit foaming at the mouth and decompress before you have a blowout UBERnumbskull.
Oh @Ubermac: Such forceful ignorance. Apple doesn’t write the cookie standards. Why would Apple know this was taking place? Google deliberately obfuscated what they were doing by making their cookie perpetration LOOK legitimate.
So please take a look in the mirror and blame yourself for not doing your homework.
Having said that, I strongly suspect Apple is taking the time to consult with their lawyers regarding the next step. This takes time! So mellow out while we wait…
By hacking Safari, Google definitely is in the wrong here. And I can’t stand their “free stuff in exchange for spying” business model. But, based on the news accounts, some of the reactions here are WAY, WAY over the top. Apparently, no individually identifiable info was either collected or shared. So, yeah, this is wrong and Google should get slapped, but clearly many people don’t have enough REAL worries in their lives. And comparing this to what the KGB or other police state security services did to their own people is just idiotic.
I’ve canned my Gmail account and am using Bing for search on my MBA, iP2 and iP4S. I won’t even get near any of Google’s other services. But it won’t stop there. My wife’s iMac, iP2 and iP4S’s default search will also be Bing. I will tell the rest of my family members and relatives why they *MUST* do the same.
From there, it’ll be friends and then colleagues at work. I’m confident that I can get at least 50 to just stop using *ANYTHING* that’s Google. Y’all need to do the same. Stop using anything from Google and then get your loved ones, friends and colleagues to do the same.
It really doesn’t take much to convince them why it’s in their best interest. When you tell them that Google is selling *THEM* (i.e. their personal info) to advertisers to make their money, they’ll *get it* real soon.
That’s the thing: the average person (and that means people who don’t hang out in places like these) really has no clue how Google makes their money. When you explain how Google goes it, they’ll think twice. I’ve seen that happen numerous times. They go, “Ahhh… *NOW* I get it… Hmmm… I’m not so sure about them anymore…”
Each one of us can make a difference. This is not about “Apple evangelism” anymore. Having been a Mac user since the late-80’s I certainly went through my phase of trying to convince Windows users to switch to a Mac, etc., but this is different. Google is a very creepy company with an even creepier business model. Microsoft seems like a saint in comparison.
Google doesn’t sell products as we all know they provide everything for free. People all go: “Wow! How cool is that? All this stuff (search, email, apps on the Internet, social media, etc.) for free. I love Google.” You just need to explain to them that Google draws them into that Internet real estate and then sell ads on that space because you’re on it. Google sells *you* and all your info. That’s the bottom line.
A lot of people have seen the ‘Minority Report’ featuring Tom Cruise. Tell them about that scene where he’s on the run and a billboard scans his eyeballs, recognizes who he is and then advertises what he may want to buy based on his past buying habits. That’s the ultimate extension of Google for ya… When I tell people this they’re creeped out and go, “Hmmm….”
If we go after Google let’s not forget the deep pockets of their advertisers that benifited. Send a clear message to everyone we will not tolerate our privacy being exploited without our knowledge.
Now we’re talkin.
I get that underhand tracking and being dishonest about how you get data is a bad thing.
But assuming they did it a bit more ethically, is the end result such a bad thing? Being shown ads that are relevant to me beats looking at ads for stuff I’m not interested in.
Lord how I louth Google. Between Apple and Oricle surely they can squash those parasites!
I smell a law suite coming and congressional hearings.