Yesterday we brought you the news that 1234 seems to be the most popular passcode used by iPhone users to secure their iPhone. This revelation came about via an app called Big Brother that anonymously collected passcodes from users of its app.
Daniel Amitay, the developer of the app, then made the assumption that the vast majority of Big Brother users use the same passcode to unlock his app that they use to unlock their iPhone.
Less than 24 hours after publicizing the data, Amitay’s Big Brother app has been yanked from the App Store.
As you can imagine, Amitay is pissed and took to his blog to defend himself:
I think I should clarify exactly what data I was referring to, and how I was obtaining it. First, these passcodes are those that are input into Big Brother, not the actual iPhone lockscreen passcodes. Second, when the app sends this data to my server, it is literally sending only that number (e.g. “1234”) and nothing else. I have no way of identifying any user or device whatsoever.
Amitay also cites section B of the iTunes EULA which states:
b. Consent to Use of Data: You agree that Application Provider may collect and use technical data and related information, including but not limited to technical information about Your device, system and application software, and peripherals, that is gathered periodically to facilitate the provision of software updates, product support and other services to You (if any) related to the Licensed Application. Application Provider may use this information, as long as it is in a form that does not personally identify You, to improve its products or to provide services or technologies to you.
So what exactly is Apple’s problem? Amitay collected data about user engagement in HIS app and not outside of the Big Brother app. He also made the assumption that the passcode used to unlock his app would be the same as to unlock the iPhone. Is that enough to warrant the removal of his app from the App Store?
Amitay has stated that he will remove the code that monitors passcodes if that is what caused Apple to pull Big Brother from the App Store.
Hopefully this is just a case of Apple throwing their toys out of the pram and Big Brother will be reinstated shortly.
