October 11, 2024
Saurik Announces PrivaCy to Block iPhone Apps From Spying On You

Saurik Announces PrivaCy to Block iPhone Apps From Spying On You

Posted August 21, 2009 at 10:10am by iClarified
Saurik has announced PrivaCy, a new iPhone app which blocks iPhone apps from watching you.

The application was created to address concerns about App Store applications which track usage information and even location information for developers to analyze. You can read Saurik's explaination below...

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It has recently come to the attention of angry Cydia users that they are being watched by many of the applications they have installed from the App Store.


Sites like I-phone-home have been discussing this in detail, leading to a post on the Dev-Team Blog about one provider in particular: Pinch Media.

Pinch Media, however, is not the only tracking provider: on the iPhone alone there are three other companies: Flurry, Medialets, and Mobclix.

Developers integrate these systems for much the same reason people use Google Analytics: to better understand how their customers use their products.

Unfortunately, due to the restrictions Apple places on their App Store, these providers are unable to directly interface with the users they affect.


Instead, they rely on developers of every single application to document what information is being logged, and allow users to "opt-out" if they desire.

Thanks to applicatons like redsn0w and Cydia, however, these restrictions are no longer important: a system-wide global "opt-out" setting is now possible.

Pinch Media realized this fact, and took the lead in contacting me regarding getting this feature out there to all the users of jailbroken devices: they care.

With BigBoss, we then contacted all of the other providers, getting not only their blessing, but also their technical expertise in disabling their systems.

The result is PrivaCy: a new Settings panel that allows you to selectively opt-out of sending anonymous usage statistics to each of these providers.

This extension was a team effort, and was able to be executed as quickly as it was thanks to the help and interest of the companies involved.
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PrivaCy is available to install from the Cydia repository under the Administration section. It is a free download.


Saurik Announces PrivaCy to Block iPhone Apps From Spying On You Saurik Announces PrivaCy to Block iPhone Apps From Spying On You Saurik Announces PrivaCy to Block iPhone Apps From Spying On You
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Comments (12)
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Sal Manila
Sal Manila - August 21, 2009 at 9:33pm
When I install privaCY then I am no longer able to login via ssh. I currently use OpenSSH. When I uninstall privacy, OpenSsh works again. Tried this twice. Would love to use this app otherwise.
baruchelad
baruchelad - August 22, 2009 at 3:59am
I could use OpenSSH without problems with PrivaCy installed
megapluis
megapluis - August 21, 2009 at 3:55pm
Worked Fine here, Thanks!
Ann Angel
Ann Angel - August 21, 2009 at 10:59am
Installed. Thanks to everyone who made this happen!!!
jan
jan - August 21, 2009 at 12:15pm
Hi, i couldnt install...always comming a note that it is not possible to install ,because for conflict reasons !?... Jan
New Guy
New Guy - August 21, 2009 at 12:24pm
Installed just fine and works great. Thanks Saurik
Jeff
Jeff - August 21, 2009 at 12:58pm
Worked Fine here, Thanks!.. Loaded No troubles and settings set. How Cool is this..
Javier
Javier - August 21, 2009 at 2:55pm
Hi, Installled without problems... To stop spying, should the buttons be off o on?
Ann Angel
Ann Angel - August 21, 2009 at 3:44pm
'OFF'
jan
jan - August 21, 2009 at 5:38pm
Hi again.....after several steps, i was able to install by cydia the app. But after rebooting my iPhone the icon is not on my iPhone....seems that we here in Germany has this problem ?! ....Jan
jan
jan - August 21, 2009 at 5:40pm
Huuuu...it was my mistake...now i could found it and now it works....really very fine...:) ....Jan
Jan
Jan - August 21, 2009 at 5:43pm
Juhu...........its work and realy good work.....thanks and best regards to dev team..:)
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