Apple Privacy Website with All of Your Data

Apple doesn’t know me, they only think they do. That’s what Id like to think anyhow, but now I can know what they think they know.  Now Apple is the latest tech giant to make changes to comply with GDPR, the EU’s privacy data rules, after it introduced a new website that shows customers exactly what personal data it holds on them. Apple has today launched its new Apple Privacy Website , allowing Apple users to download everything that Apple personally associates with your account, from Apple ID info, App Store activity, AppleCare history to data stored in iCloud like photos and documents. This is currently only available for European Union accounts, to comply with GDPR, and will roll out worldwide in the coming months.

How To Access The Apple Privacy Website

This link to get to  Apples Privacy and Data link is here: https://privacy.apple.com/. Just login in with your apple ID. There are simple shortcuts to updating your info, temporarily deactivating your account and options to permanently delete it. Here’s how to do it …You can request account details and sign-in records and data such as contacts, calendars, notes, bookmarks, reminders, photos and documents.

1. Go to Apple’s new Data and Privacy website;
2.  Log in with your Apple ID. (for now, the privacy info and downloads work only for users in the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland);
3.  Click on the “Get started” link below the header “Obtain a copy of your data,” and check “Select all,” or tick the individual options boxes;
4.  Select a maximum file size, and Apple will split things into the chunks you choose;
5.  If you want a copy of your iCloud-stored media, e-mails, or Drive content, the process will obviously take longer, but Apple says the gathering can take up to two weeks anyway;
6.  When everything is ready, you will get a mail from Apple that your personal data is ready to download, and if you don’t do it, Apple will erase everything in two weeks.

Things To Consider

Dependent on the data records selected, Apple may take as long as two weeks to assemble the information. While the company did say the data will be deleted after two weeks. The data site also gives users the option to correct data, deactivate their account and delete all information held by Apple in compliance with GDPR. Only data that is personally identifiable can be found here. I think this can all be downloaded with a few simple clicks on the privacy portal. Note data like iCloud Photos will take a long time to generate. There are potentially tens of gigabytes of files on there.

The Final Thought

Just imagine if your bank, credit card company, ISP, or big-box retailer gave you the right to look at your data! It’d be a different world. George Michael, I mean Maharris promised us this a few years ago with his FaceBlock app. I wonder what happened to that.  What we really need is transparency and openness and there’s nothing to fear in providing this to users. It need not be forced through regulation, but standard basic practice from the outset. This is the simple easy solution to our data privacy issues. The Apple Privacy Website is a big step to where we should be. Just let us know what you think you know.