A short clip of Steve Jobs at the 2010 D8 conference, interviewed by Walt Mossberg, defining privacy as people knowing what they are signing up for, in plain English and repeatedly. The discussion centered on location data.
Why Hacker News points people here: HN reaches for it constantly as evidence of Apple's long-standing privacy stance and as a yardstick for judging Apple, Facebook and others.
“Privacy means people know what they’re signing up for. In plain English, and repeatedly.”HN comment, 2018
“Apple got me on this video where Steve Jobs really showed how much they care for privacy”
Jobs showing Apple's care for privacy.
Full comment
Have used Android for years (I have been using devices like Pro, rooted, custom ROMS, skins whatever you might imagine). Shifted to Apple's echo system 2-3 years ago. It took me some time to get used to iOS but integration across devices (my mac, my iPad, my watch) is simply amazing. I am not going sound like broken record or fan boy here. Apple got me on this video where Steve Jobs really showed how much they care for privacy this video the other day my wife got a notification from Google Photos that it prepared our Album from our trip to SFO. We have turned of location tagging and everything, turns out Google is not content with me asking them to leave me alone, they would use ML and whatever they have built to figure out where I have been. In this day in age, while Apple might sound outdated to a lot of people, nothing can beat the sense of security with privacy Apple carries with itself now.
RecommendsssivarkDec 2018
“the rest of his response should be the gold standard in my opinion.”
Jobs on how to handle user privacy.
Full comment
> Now, how do I do it in a non-evil way? I am presuming here that everyone agrees that should be possible to make that work [...] Apparently Facebook did it the wrong way. Why? I really like Steve Jobs' comments on how to operate, with regards to questions of user privacy: this video (3 minutes) While I'm not convinced about the need for devices to be locked down, the rest of his response should be the gold standard in my opinion.
RecommendsschoolornotJul 2020
“Watch this 10 year old clip of Steve Jobs”
Jobs clip as evidence Apple's privacy stance is genuine.
Full comment
You're making it sound like there is no business opportunity on Apple's side to mine and sell customer data the way Google does. Why can't we assume they are doing it with the best of intentions? Watch this 10 year old clip of Steve Jobs: this video The position is genuine.
RecommendsHatchedLake721Feb 2022
“Steve Jobs words 12 years later are still very relevant today”
Jobs's privacy words remain relevant today.
Full comment
Steve Jobs words 12 years later are still very relevant today this video I just want to thank Apple for pushing this agenda forward, introducing things I believe Google would never do themselves first unless pressured. I still remember Apple introducing “track me while using the app only” in a new iOS years ago that stopped companies hoarding live geolocation of every app user. And we still get new bits and bobs every major iOS release. In just last few years we found out apps that unnecessarily scanned for our network devices or used clipboards for no apparent reason. Keep them coming.
Cites itSolarUpNoteSep 2017
“Here's an interview with Steve Jobs on privacy regarding location data”
Steve Jobs interview on location data privacy.
Full comment
> Apple has traditionally been very user hostile Here's an interview with Steve Jobs on privacy regarding location data: this video Apple takes care of their users.
Cites itrblatzSep 2017
“Steve Jobs talking about how important privacy is to Apple”
Jobs on how important privacy is to Apple.
Full comment
Privacy has been big at Apple for a long time, this video was posted in this thread of Steve Jobs talking about how important privacy is to Apple this video
Cites itosteeleMar 2018
“Privacy means people know what they’re signing up for. In plain English, and repeatedly.”
Jobs defining privacy as informed, repeated consent.
Full comment
“Privacy means people know what they’re signing up for. In plain English, and repeatedly. That’s what it means. I’m an optimist. I believe people are smart. And some people want to share more data than other people do. Ask them. Ask them every time. Make them tell you to stop asking them if they’re tired of you asking them. Let them know precisely what you’re going to do with their data. That’s what we think.” — Steve Jobs, 2010 WSJ AllThingsD Conference Video: this video Transcript: link Recent article: link
Cites itmaireMay 2018
“Apple always took location privacy seriously.”
Jobs and Mossberg interview on location privacy.
Full comment
Apple always took location privacy seriously. I remember an interview between Steve Jobs and Walt Mossberg years ago on this subject. I looked it up again: this video
Cites itancorevardJun 2019
“Here's perhaps the latest clip of Steve on privacy”
Clip of Jobs on privacy.
Full comment
> If you recall, Apple's stance on privacy is quite recent. You should read some of the history of Steve Jobs, and you will learn that he was very serious about privacy and it seems like his values have been imbued into Apple and now Tim Cook. Here's perhaps the latest clip of Steve on privacy: this video
Cites itnojitoJul 2020
“This isn't a recent thing.”
Shows Apple's privacy stance is long-standing.
Full comment
>Apple is trying to position itself as more privacy friendly suggesting that the tide may be finally turning. This isn't a recent thing. this video
Cites itst1x7Dec 2020
“Here is a 3 minute video of Steve Jobs talking about it in 2010”
Jobs discussing privacy disclosures in 2010.
Full comment
> at least a year now (...) they show a privacy disclosure splash screen before turning on many features for the first time. This has been the case from the start of the Apple App Store. Here is a 3 minute video of Steve Jobs talking about it in 2010 - this video (Zuckerberg comes up too funnily enough).
Cites itnojitoDec 2020
“Here's Jobs 10 years ago talking about this.”
Jobs on privacy ten years earlier.
Full comment
>I can't buy the Apple "good samaritan" act. Apple is not fighting for privacy. Why not? Here's Jobs 10 years ago talking about this. this video
Cites itnojitoJan 2021
Jobs at D8 as counter-evidence.
Full comment
This comment has no basis of truth. this video Jobs @ D8 People are quick to forget because back then everyone (including HN) was praising Google for everything under the sun.
Cites itnojitoApr 2021
“Privacy means people know what they're signing up for, in plain English and repeatedly”
Jobs's 2010 view on opt-in privacy.
Full comment
>Ten years ago Apple wasn't running ads about privacy and they were working on building out the App Store. Steve did this video >Privacy means people know what they're signing up for, in plain English and repeatedly >I believe people are smart and some people want to share more data than other people do. Ask them. Ask them every time. Make them tell you to stop asking them if they get tired of your asking them. Let them know precisely what you're going to do with their data I think the issue was that Apple bungled IDFA by not making in opt-in initially and now are trying to correct their mistakes. Apple was vilified 10 years ago for this stance, but at the end of the day they were right with their opt-in view on tracking and how pervasive silicon valley was going to become with collecting data.
Cites itsimonhJun 2021
“Steve Jobs talking about this at D8 in 2010”
Jobs on privacy at D8 in 2010.
Full comment
Steve Jobs talking about this at D8 in 2010, and of course the privacy features he talks about were baked into the OS APIs from the start. Apple's rift with Google over user data collection in Google Maps goes back to 2009 when Google held Apple to ransom for the user data in return for turn-by-turn directions. Apple refused and started building their own maps service, buying Placebase in July that year. this video
Cites itthrow0101aJul 2021
“Steve Jobs was talking about privacy since (at least) 2010”
Jobs on consent-based privacy in 2010.
Full comment
Steve Jobs was talking about privacy since (at least) 2010: > Privacy means people know what they’re signing up for, in plain English, and repeatedly. That’s what it means. I’m an optimist, I believe people are smart. And some people want to share more data than other people do. Ask them. Ask them every time. Make them tell you to stop asking them if they get tired of your asking them. Let them know precisely what you’re going to do with their data. > That’s what we think. * this video What they're doing now seems to simply be a continuation of that thinking. (Sometimes better, sometimes worse.)
Cites itunityByFreedomAug 2021
“Steve Jobs must be rolling over in his grave.”
Contrasts Jobs's privacy stance with Apple's later message scanning.
Full comment
> Steve Jobs must be rolling over in his grave. June, 2010 - Jobs: "Privacy means people know what they're signing up for." this video December, 2015 - Cook: "If you put a back door in, that back door is for everybody, for good guys and bad guys." link August, 2021 Interviewer: "Isn't this in a way a back door?" Federighi: "I really don't understand that characterization." link
Cites itGeekyBearSep 2021
“Steve Jobs in 2010 being asked how Apple's view on privacy differs from Facebook's view”
Jobs contrasting Apple's privacy view with Facebook's.
Full comment
>Apple using that as an excuse to punish a competitor Steve Jobs in 2010 being asked how Apple's view on privacy differs from Facebook's view (right after one of the early Facebook scandals) >Privacy means people know what they’re signing up for, in plain English, and repeatedly. That’s what it means. I’m an optimist, I believe people are smart. And some people want to share more data than other people do. Ask them. Ask them every time. Make them tell you to stop asking them if they get tired of your asking them. Let them know precisely what you’re going to do with their data. this video
Cites itlatexrDec 2024
“Apple themselves used to understand and champion that approach.”
Apple once championed asking the user.
Full comment
Asking the user is perfectly reasonable. Apple themselves used to understand and champion that approach. this video
CriticallatexrDec 2024
“Which, by the way, is something Apple used to understand not to do.”
Full comment
How many times are you going to shift the goalposts? This is getting tiresome, so I’ll make it my last reply. I don’t have Netflix but neither is that relevant to the point, you’re obviously and embarrassingly grasping at straws. No one is arguing against continuous cloud backups, they’re arguing about sending data without consent . Which, by the way, is something Apple used to understand not to do. this video Apple’s OS are already filled with Windows Vista style popups and permissions for inconsequential crap, people have been making fun of them for that for years.
