Comments on: An Ethical Dilemma – Should Apple Use Their Many Resources to Locate Stolen iPods?

By: Scott Schuckert

Scott Schuckert — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:47:50 +0000

There is a plus side. Information that isn’t routinely gathered or retained, can’t be subpoenaed. There are worse things than not getting your lost property back.

By: Joe Weingarten

Joe Weingarten — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 21:07:33 +0000

Apple has always refused to even help track stolen computers, even when offered for repair or warranty service and the dealer has to enter the serial number to order a part. No way will they do anything to help the poor customer track down any stolen or lost product. It’s not the Apple way.

By: kirasaw

kirasaw — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:48:15 +0000

I have always thought this should be a service Apple provided. There should be a small fee for using the service and the trace/kill request should have to come from the Police and only for stolen iPhones/iPods. Tracing lost ones should not be done to prevent people from tracking down ex-wifes, ex-girlfiends and such.

By: Johannes

Johannes — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 19:41:21 +0000

I alluded to the fine (or not so fine) line that may be crossed when personal, private data are being used (or abused). Done any international travel lately? Apple may know to the square meter where an iPhone is located, and in most cases its owner as well, but what happens when a government demands such data to track an individual, or a hacker stealing this information and abusing/selling it, or Apple using this information for commercial purposes. Please don’t be naieve in believing that data can not be used in a detrimental way. By the way: you added the “ethical”. I did not imply that GM should trace your car or your books without your consent.

By: botherStefan

botherStefan — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 04:35:56 +0000

Ethical dilemma? Please…

Just because you can, doesn’t mean that you should. I could argue that college textbooks (have you purchased one of those recently?) should all have RFID tags attached, and that the publisher is ethically bound to help recover lost or stolen textbooks.

Is General Motors ethically bound to help me recover my lost or stolen Malibu? If someone wants to provide such a service for a fee, then fine, but casting this as an ethical dilemma is a bit over-the-top.

By: Johannes

Johannes — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:57:18 +0000

Dilemma: the little matter of privacy and who protects it. The ease with which governments, corporations, hackers, etc. are extracting information through the internet and from internet providers and in this way are invading our privacy is shocking and we really should be a lot more worried.

By: Johannes

Johannes — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:29:16 +0000

Brilliant idea. When one buys an iPhone one could buy into an insurance scheme that pays for locating a stolen unit. That may have to be a two track coverage: first pay in advance to be “member” of the iPhone insurance, but if you lose your iPhone also pay a small amount (could all be done through iTunes) to prevent frivolous searches (such as behind the cushions on the couch).

Please note: your statement above: “Not only can iPhones and iPods be tracked using GPS…” is a.f.a.i.k. wrong: iPods do not have GPS.