Apple responds to Mini-Store security concerns, sort of

by Jordan Running Jan 12th 2006

Yesterday we reported on a controversey brewing up around the "Mini-Store" feature in the latest version of iTunes, which, when active, sends information about every song you listen to to Apple. According to Macworld, Apple says that it doesn't save any of this information—it's only used to give you Music Store recommendations, then is discarded. As Macworld points out, even if this is the case it isn't addressed anywhere in any Apple privacy policy, and furthermore, according to a reader over at Boing Boing, every Mini-Store request sent to Apple includes your unique Music Store ID, which it doesn't make sense for Apple to collect if they're just going to discard it—unless they intend to start collecting that data at some later date. Boing Boing also has a link to "snappy answers to silly apologists" if your friends still aren't convinced this is a big deal.

Tags: apple, itunes, mini-store, privacy

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

John B. said 5:23PM on 1-12-2006

Paranoid much? I think everyone might be overreacting to this one just a tad.

Sir Not Appearing in this Blog said 11:49AM on 1-13-2006

I think the least you could do here is be accurate. The mini store responds to songs you CLICK ON in your library, not to what's currently playing. If the track changes, it doesn't send any info.

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