Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) recently had a difficult time explaining accusations that it had been engaging in shady deals with Tencent. Apple has always put itself forward as a company that takes the privacy of users with seriousness. However, reports indicate that the business giant has been sending the IP addresses of users to Chinese conglomerate Tencent. Also, Tencent was found listed as a Safe Browsing provider. This brought into question the integrity of the company, and most of the users are now getting worried.
How the feature works
For Apple’s Safari feature to work, the Fraudulent Website Warning must first be activated. The feature automatically sends out a warning whenever a user visits a suspected phishing website. The importance of this is that users are protected from online scams. Phishing attempts have, in the past, seen online actors steal the personal information of users. Such information includes passwords, usernames, and other sorts of account information.
There have also been cases of fraudulent websites masquerading as legitimate ones. For instance, they might pop up as financial institutions, banks, or even email providers. The Safari feature has been operating on iOS and macOS and other devices. Apple has been encouraging users to use the feature, saying that it is important at ensuring online safety. The technology company adds that the feature works by cross-referencing URLs against a service provided by several safe browsing companies. That is known as a blacklist service. Some of the trusted companies in this regard are Tencent and Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG).
Critics want Apple to be more responsible
Critics are unhappy with Apple. They say that the business is taking internet users for granted. They are against the feature getting installed by default on iOS Safari. According to them, this exposes a large number of users to major online risks. They advocate for the company to install the feature deliberately. Most of the users won’t even tell if the feature is there in the first place.
Investigations have been ongoing to establish whether or not Tencent has been collecting IP addresses of users outside China. It also hasn’t yet been established exactly when Apple added Tencent to the list of safe browsers. However, Apple has shown users how to navigate to remove the feature from a default mode.