Apple shares mobile Safari data with company connected to China's communist regime
The optics look bad for a company that pays lip service to privacy
Apple traditionally has sent this information to Google Safe Browsing, a service that has a blacklist of URLs that warns users when they are about to visit a “dangerous” website. But if iOS users go to Settings > Safari > About Privacy & Security and read the section titled “Fraudulent Website Warning,” it clearly says that “Before visiting a website, Safari may send information calculated from the website address to Google Safe Browsing and Tencent Safe Browsing to check if the website is fraudulent. These safe browsing providers may also log your IP address.” Apple has the “Fraudulent Website Warning” toggled on by default and it can be disabled (more ont hat later). However, users then run the risk of visiting fake web sites.
In the Safe Browsing change, we have another example of Apple making significant modifications to its privacy infrastructure, largely without publicity or announcement. We have learn about this stuff from the fine print. This approach to privacy issues does users around the world a disservice.”-Professor Matthew Green, Johns Hopkins University
Even if Apple limits the use of Tencent’s Safe Browsing to users in China, it is potentially turning over information about consumers to a communist regime. Tencent’s popular WeChat app is said to feature censorship in real-time. And the company released a mobile game two years ago called “Clap for Xi Jinping: An Awesome Speech.” Players get to applaud China’s “president for life.” Tencent is reportedly developing other games that support the communist party.
There is an old saying that goes, “where there’s smoke, there is fire.” And while we really don’t think that Apple has entered into some sort of secret partnership with the Chinese government, it is clear that the company is looking to protect its market share in China. The optics don’t look good for a company that says it values privacy, but whose actions actually say something else.
To opt-out of the Fraudulent Website Warning, go to Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security and tap the toggle switch next to Fraudulent Website Warning. Keep in mind that disabling this feature will prevent you from being warned when you are about to visit a dodgy website.