European Apple Users Can Now Learn Everything the Company Knows About Them

The Associated Press
The Associated Press

Apple has published a service that allows European users to download all of the data that the company stores on them, but has not said if U.S. users will follow suit.

Apple users based in the European Union will now be able to download and view all of the data that the company stores on them according to The Verge. Apple’s new download service allows users to download their info relating to the App Store, iTunes Store, iBooks Store, Apple Music, online store activity, AppleCare support and repair history, and data such as calendar entries, iCloud bookmarks, photos, reminders, and multiple other documents.

This download portal can be accessed by the Apple Privacy Page but the download service is only available to members in the EU. This new service has been released ahead of the introduction of new EU data regulation laws, known as the GDPR, which affects how companies store and share user data. Apple has said that they plan to make the download portal available to users worldwide in coming months.

The privacy page gives users the chance to obtain copies of their user data, correct data that Apple has stored on them, temporarily deactivate, or delete their account entirely. If a user deactivates their account, they will not be able to access purchases from the iTunes Store, iBooks, or the App Store and also will not be able to use Apple programs such as iMessage, FaceTime, or other iCloud services.

Apple says it may take a week to prepare the user data for download due to the amount of data collected, Apple will contact users when their data is available for download and automatically delete those files if they are not downloaded within two weeks.

Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan_ or email him at lnolan@breitbart.com

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