In the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, people are starting to think twice about the extent to which big companies track and store your personal information. We’ve already explained how to download a copy of the data Facebook and Google has on you (spoiler: it’s a lot) but you may still be curious about the extent of Apple’s data hoard.
As reported by CNBC, you can access a full archive of the information Apple knows about you via its privacy policy page. Scroll down until you find the Privacy Contact Form link, press it and then choose “I have a question about privacy issues” from the options. Type into the comment box that you’re after a copy of your personal information, and hit submit.
Apple will get back to you via email with the necessary details, though it can take several days to hear anything.
Guide: how to see everything Facebook knows about you
Guide: how to see everything Google knows about you
As we’ve noted before, Facebook and Google are free products because they monetize their users through advertising, and collecting user profiles helps them targeted sell ads for higher prices. Conversely, Apple makes most of its money from premium hardware sales – its business doesn’t rely on user profiles or ads.
This really shows in the level of data Apple keeps on its users. It keeps a lot of information about your purchases and activity via iTunes and the App Store, but very little personal information. Unlike Facebook and Google, Apple doesn’t store your messages, location data, photos, or even your email address. What it does know is what kind of music you like and a full history of every app you’ve ever downloaded.
Apple’s dedication to maintaining the privacy of its users is refreshing in the face of so many huge tech companies sucking up every nugget of personal information they can get – but that doesn’t mean it knows nothing about you. Make sure to take a look for yourself if you’re curious, and read up on the company’s meticulous approach to privacy.