Google Tracked Web Users Bypassing iPhone Security
There is no denying the fact that we live in a highly digitized era. With all the advantages of living in this age of communication devices and the internet, there are some concerns as well especially when it comes to data breaches and unethical business practices. One such unethical business practice was recently discovered when a new in the Wall Street Journal revealed how Google and some other major advertising companies compromised security settings of users using the Apple flagship products including the very popular iPhone as well as desktop computers running the safari browser.
Google Tracked Web Users Bypassing iPhone Security
The Wall street journal let the monkey out of the bag in its report by revealing how internet major Google and advertising firms including Vibrant Media, Point Roll and WPP’s Media Innovation Group were found using a specialized code that tricked the widely popular browser Safari and iPhone devices allowing them to secretly monitor user behaviors by bypassing the default security settings designed to block any such intrusions.
Bypassing Security Settings: In an attempt to track user behavior and understanding commercial cycles, major advertisers not only breached the security walls for Safari browser and iPhone’s but also kept the large consumer base in the dark about their secret tracking until the report from the Wall Street Journal called their bluff. It may be recalled that while Apple’s default privacy settings disallows companies to using any cookies to track user behavior while using the web enabled services, Google and other advertisers didn’t think twice while attempting to breach the security for commercial tracking to help them translate user behavior into more commercial gains.
Google Remains Unapologetic: While Google disabled the secret tracking code once the Wall Street Journal report was made public but has so far remained largely unapologetic saying that the Wall Street Journal report misunderstood the whole case. While what Google was doing was opposite of what it advised Safari users to avoid tracking, Google in a public statement said that the cookies were not tracking any public behavior and were not capable of collecting any personal information. Other advertizing companies other than Google involved in the security breach scare were also not honest enough to admit their guilt. While WPP officials declined any comments, PointRoll officials said they were unaware of any such security breach. Officials from Vibrant Media however declined any such illegal activity and said that the unwarranted code was to make Safari browsers act like most other web browsers in the market.
Public Outcry: While Google and other advertising companies denied any wrongdoing on their part, there has been a large outcry in the public domain over the findings of the WSJ report. European Union privacy officials went a step ahead and urged Google to temporarily stop any changes in their user tracking behavior model until they can ensure complete privacy to all the citizens of the European Union.
Consumer Behavior Tracking is Big Business: While this case may be overlooked as a one off case, there is no denying the fact that consumer behavior tracking is a big business in this digitized age. In fact personal data has slowly emerged as the prime mover of this digitized economy. With many web and tech companies offering free products and earning through online advertising, companies sometimes cross the thin line of privacy in their attempt to collect customized user behavior patterns and data to generate commercial gains.
About The Author: Margaret is a self-employed designer, illustrator & blogger. She loves writing, along with travelling. These days she is working on Google Maps rank checking tool and suggests it for all local ecommerce sites.
