
A Letter from Congress to Tim Cook - pitdesi
http://dcurt.is/a-letter-from-congress-to-tim-cook
======
bradleyland
What's really ridiculous about this whole thing is that I could, right now,
write an application for any version of Windows, OS X, or Linux that uploaded
your address book without a single prompt. Hell, I could do this with any file
owned by your user. I could log your keystrokes and upload them too.

I'm not saying it's ok to do any of this. I'm not saying Apple shouldn't have
better controls on what apps access your personal information. I'm saying that
members of Congress have demonstrated that they haven't even an inkling of a
clue as to what the fuck goes on inside a computer, and should probably stay
out of this while these companies figure out better ways to protect consumers,
then fill in the shortfalls.

~~~
epscylonb
I think this letter is silly, but it is a partly a problem that Apple helped
create.

The closed nature of the App store leads people to think that apps purchased
through it can never be malicious, they probably think Apple check every line
of code (if they think about it at all).

I am not suggesting that it is Apples fault, but in a closed ecosystem higher
security is expected.

Basically this is the same problem we have been dealing with since the rise of
Windows, users have no clue about security.

------
droithomme
Totally ridiculous letter. Instead the DOJ should be going after the companies
that are illegally stealing user data, and take them down hard.

This letter to Apple is pathetic. Congressman obviously is a tool of the
corporations that steal data and is working on their behalf to distract
attention from their crimes.

------
krobertson
A better title to the post would be "A Letter from a Congressman...". It is
not all of Congress, it is one person.

------
jsumrall
I read this and think, Why is this congressman sticking his head in this
business? I think I would ignore his request.

~~~
jm4
How do you think a member of Congress, accustomed to getting what he wants, is
going to feel about getting blown off? It's easier to respond and do a better
job of regulating yourself than it is to have Congress regulate for you. These
people are completely out of touch with reality and are clueless when it comes
to technology.

Besides, what Waxman is asking for isn't unreasonable nor is it anything many
users aren't also asking for. Apple will let this bozo have his little moment,
make some changes, send a letter back and he'll buzz off. There's no point in
drawing the ire of lawmakers when it's not even something worth fighting over.

------
monochromatic
Under what authority are they demanding this response? And what happens if
Apple just ignores the letter?

~~~
ChrisLTD
If Apple doesn't respond, Congress can begin an investigation into Apple
and/or write a law regulating the matter.

~~~
lazerwalker
Is this letter "from Congress", or merely from a Congressman? If it's the
latter, it's less "Congress can begin an investigation" as much as "this one
Congressman can try to convince the other members of his subcommittee that
it's worth launching such an investigation, if he thinks it's sufficiently
worth exercising the political capital".

~~~
ChrisLTD
Your description is more accurate, I was just trying to articulate the
possible consequences of thumbing your nose at a member or members of
Congress.

------
funkah
On one hand, I'd like to see Apple get better at this. On the other, I'd like
to see Congress get better at basically everything, including paying attention
to things much more important than this.

~~~
gavanwoolery
Upvotes for you, sir.

------
nirvana
I'll take congress's concern for privacy seriously when they start applying it
to themselves. For instance, in the draft of the so-called "stimulus" bill I
read, it called for centralizing all medical records under federal control.
The federal government doesn't respect americans privacy in anything- even in
much more private areas of their lives, such as financial dealings. (You're
compelled to reveal these to the IRS every year, and all the banks give
individual transaction data to the government upon request, they don't even
need a court order.)

