To stop this from happening, Uber developers created a persistent identity for each iPhone by embedding a small piece of code into the device called “fingerprinting” when a user uninstalled the Uber app. Uber then could always know the identity of the iPhone after the app was uninstalled. Even if an iPhone was wiped clean, restored to factory settings, refurbished and sold to another user, Uber’s fingerprinting would unknowingly remain on people’s devices.
“There was one problem: Fingerprinting iPhones broke Apple’s rules. Mr. Cook believed that wiping an iPhone should ensure that no trace of the owner’s identity remained on the device.
So Mr. Kalanick told his engineers to “geofence” Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., a way to digitally identify people reviewing Uber’s software in a specific location. Uber would then obfuscate its code for people within that geofenced area, essentially drawing a digital lasso around those it wanted to keep in the dark. Apple employees at its headquarters were unable to see Uber’s fingerprinting.”
Kalanick’s trickery was successful for months until Apple started picking up on Uber cyber interference. Apple CEO, Tim Cook, called Kalanick in for a meeting once he learned about the underhanded actions going on concerning Uber.
“Mr. Cook was prepared. “So, I’ve heard you’ve been breaking some of our rules,” Mr. Cook said in his calm, Southern tone. Stop the trickery, Mr. Cook then demanded, or Uber’s app would be kicked out of Apple’s App Store.”
Kalanick officially accepted Cook’s ultimatum to follow the rules or be banned from the Apple App store. Uber would lose millions of customers and all but collapse if removed from the Apple App store.
Both Kalanick and Cook are guilty of failing to protect user’s privacy and wellbeing. Kalanick’s ruthless personal history of doing anything it takes regardless of laws, ethics or boundaries to build his business empire suggests that he will quickly be back to his devious. Cook’s moderate stance in response to Kalanick deliberate disdain for company policies and hacking Apple’s software suggests he might bark, but he won’t bite in response to developers sidestepping privacy guidelines to track user data if he is also getting paid.
Source: The New York Times
