Ever had the feeling that you were being watched? Well if you own an iPhone there is a chance that you may have been. A recent New York Times report has shown that Uber tracked users’ iPhones, even after the app was deleted.
Uber exploited a loophole in Apple’s system that allowed them to pinpoint individual phones . This culminated in a meeting between Travis Kalanick and Tim Cook. The Apple boss threatened to pull the app from the apple store unless Uber ceased tracking its users. Losing access to the App Store would have crippled the ride sharing giant.
How did they do it?
Uber tracked users by inserting code into their app that allowed them to identify phones that deleted the Uber app and then subsequently re-installed it. The tracking relied upon a technique called “fingerprinting” that let Uber identify a phone. They then kept this information and looked for phones that re-installed the app at a later date. Using this method Uber was able to identify an individual phone even it had been wiped clean because the “fingerprint” is persistent.
While Apple originally used Unique Device Identifiers, an ID that persisted across installs, they were phased out as consumers became more concerned about privacy. Apple has replaced these with other trackers, such as advertising IDs and Vendor IDs. None of these replacements persists across devices. So what identifier was Uber using if not UDIDs?
According to Will Strafach of the Sudo Security group; Uber secretly included code in their App that allowed them to grab information from a device’s directory that they would normally be unable to access. This allowed them to ascertain a device’s serial number, which would persist across installs, even if the phone was completely wiped. This then gave Uber a unique identifier with which to track phones, even if their app was removed or the phone was formatted.
Uber claimed that it was necessary for them to track users in order to combat fraud. It prevented a practice where drivers would register themselves on multiple phones and request large numbers of expensive rides in order to boost their bonuses.
Why was Apple angry?
The move was a blatant violation of Apple’s privacy policies and at no point where users explicitly informed that their phones information was being collected in this manner. To make matters worse, it appears that Uber was fully aware they were breaching Apples terms. Uber software engineers took steps to hide the subterfuge by Geo-fencing Apples Cupertino headquarters.
The trick was eventually spotted by Apple engineers from another office which culminated in Mr Cook summoning Mr Kalanick to the meeting. Apples threat was very real, if they had pulled Uber’s app from their store it would have crippled and likely destroyed the ride sharing company.
While Uber agreed to stop the practice they do still use some form of fingerprinting in order to combat fraud but stress that they do not track individual users or their locations if they have deleted the ap.
What does this mean for Uber?
This is just the latest in a string of scandals for the embattled ride sharing giant. They have lost numerous execs, been kicked out of Italy and are embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal. While Uber will likely escape from these revelations mostly unscathed it is the last thing the company needs at this point. Consumers have become more concerned about their privacy in recent years and the news that Uber tracked users will likely damage their confidence.
The fact that Uber almost lost access to Apple’s App store further highlights that Mr Kalanick is willing to ignore any rules if he believes it will help him win. Even if he risks destroying his company’s future.
Google is getting ready to make a big change to how its Chrome browser works. This is because new browsers from startups like Arc are making the market more competitive. The company said on Wednesday that it will be adding a new feature called “Minimized Custom Tabs” that will let users tap to switch between a native app and their web content. When you do this, the Custom Tab turns into a small window that floats above the content of the native app.
The new feature is all about using Custom Tabs, which is a feature in Android browsers that lets app developers make their own browser experience right in their app. Users don’t have to open their browser or a WebView, which doesn’t support all of the web platform’s features. Custom tabs let users stay in their app while browsing. Custom tabs can help developers keep users in their apps longer and keep them from leaving and never coming back.
If you make the Custom Tab into a picture-in-picture window, switching to the web view might feel more natural, like you’re still in the native app. People who send their customers to a website to sign up for accounts or subscriptions might also find this change useful, since it makes it easier for users to switch between the website and the native app.
After being shrunk down to the picture-in-picture window, the Custom Tab can be pushed to the side of the screen. Users can tap on a down arrow to bring the page back to the picture-in-picture window when it is full screen.
The new web experience comes at a time when Google is making it easier for Android users to connect to the web. People can find their way to the web with AI-powered features like Circle to Search and other integrations that let them do things like circle or highlight items.
The change is coming to the newest version of Chrome (M124), and developers who already use Chrome’s Custom Tabs will see it automatically. Google says that the change only affects Chrome browsers, but it hopes that other browser makers will add changes like these.
Meta’s latest social network, Threads, is launching its own fact-checking initiative after leveraging Instagram and Facebook’s networks for a brief period.
Adam Mosseri, the CEO of Instagram, stated that the company has recently implemented a feature that allows fact-checkers to assess and label false content on threads. Nevertheless, Mosseri refrained from providing specific information regarding the exact timing of the program’s implementation and whether it was restricted to certain geographical regions.
The fact-checking partners for Threads—which organizations are affiliated with Meta—are not clearly specified. We have requested additional information from the company and will revise the story accordingly upon receiving a response.
The upcoming U.S. elections appear to be the main driving force behind the decision. India is currently in the midst of its general elections. However, it is improbable that a social network would implement a fact-checking program specifically during an election cycle rather than initiating the project prior to the elections.
In December, Meta announced its intention to implement the fact-checking program on Threads.
“At present, we align the fact-check ratings from Facebook or Instagram with Threads. However, our objective is to empower fact-checking partners to evaluate and assign ratings to misinformation on the application,” Mosseri stated in a post during that period.
Apps
Mark Zuckerberg reports that Threads has a total of 150 million users who engage with the app on a monthly basis
Threads, Meta’s alternative to Twitter and X, is experiencing consistent and steady growth. During the Q1 2024 earnings call, Mark Zuckerberg stated that the social network currently has over 150 million monthly active members, which is an increase from 130 million in February.
Threads made significant progress in integrating with ActivityPub, the decentralized protocol that powers networks such as Mastodon, during the last quarterly earnings conference. In March, the firm granted U.S.-based users who are 18 years of age or older the ability to link their accounts to the Fediverse, enabling their posts to be seen on other servers.
By June, the business intends to make its API available to a broad range of developers, enabling them to create experiences centered on the social network. Nevertheless, it remains uncertain whether Threads will enable developers to create comprehensive third-party clients.
Meta just introduced their AI chatbot on various platforms like Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Threads was conspicuously omitted from this list, perhaps because of its lack of built-in direct messaging capabilities.
Threads introduced a new test feature on Wednesday that allows users to automatically archive their posts after a certain length of time. Additionally, users have the ability to store or remove specific postings from an archive and make them accessible to the public.
Threads is around nine months old, and Meta has consistently expanded its readership. Nevertheless, Threads cannot be considered a viable substitute for X, as Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, explicitly stated in October that Threads will not “amplify news on the platform.” However, Meta’s social network continues to grow in popularity. According to app analytics company Apptopia, Threads now has more daily active users in the U.S. than X, as Business Insider reported earlier this week.
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