Apple censoring emails?

[WelshBloke]

Apple looks to have taken a leaf from Googles play book and is reading your emails.

In Apple fashion they look to have "improved" on this as well and are censoring your emails for your safety.

http://www.macworld.co.uk/mac/news/?newsid=3432561

Anyone tested this?




Title modified and semi-censored profanity removed... I found the title to be less than descriptive of the actual link.
Also, since this affects Apple emails from the iCloud, and not a specific mobile device, I'm going to move this to to All Things Apple. and, yes, I'm well aware of the irony of my actions in light of the thread topic although my actions are not meant to be ironic.

Moderator PM

 

[Bateluer]

I don't recall Google censoring my emails or deleting them entirely.

 

[WelshBloke]

I don't recall Google censoring my emails or deleting them entirely.

Thats where Apple have "improved" on Google.

I'd be interested to see if someone here can verify this story though, you can never believe everything you hear on the internet.

 

[bearxor]

From what I've read today, it's definitely happening.

But no one is forcing anyone to use iCloud email and there are plenty of other email providers out there so I don't really see the issue. They're allowed to censor and filter their email as much as they want to big the user base finds it unacceptable, they will move.

 

[WelshBloke]

From what I've read today, it's definitely happening.

But no one is forcing anyone to use iCloud email and there are plenty of other email providers out there so I don't really see the issue. They're allowed to censor and filter their email as much as they want to big the user base finds it unacceptable, they will move.

I suppose they are but we are also allowed to discuss it.

Have you tried it out? I sort of wanted some first hand examples to make sure that this wasn't just made up or an overly enthusiastic spam filter.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I sort of wanted some first hand examples to make sure that this wasn't just made up or an overly enthusiastic spam filter.

This.

 

[bearxor]

I suppose they are but we are also allowed to discuss it.

Have you tried it out? I sort of wanted some first hand examples to make sure that this wasn't just made up or an overly enthusiastic spam filter.

I never said we weren't allowed to discuss, just that I don't see what the big deal is and that's it's still a pretty open market.

I have an iCloud account but have only used it for very limited correspondence.

 

[WelshBloke]

I never said we weren't allowed to discuss, just that I don't see what the big deal is and that's it's still a pretty open market.

I have an iCloud account but have only used it for very limited correspondence.

I dunno, an email system that decides what email to deliver rather than the user deciding seems... well... sort of broken to me. Especially if it doesn't give you any notice of this behaviour.

 

[gevorg]

not news, Apple has been analyzing/censoring emails for years:

http://www.cultofmac.com/103703/app...ering-your-outgoing-mobileme-email-exclusive/

 

[WelshBloke]

not news, Apple has been analyzing/censoring emails for years:

http://www.cultofmac.com/103703/app...ering-your-outgoing-mobileme-email-exclusive/

That seems more of an effort to stop spammers from using Apples services which seems fair enough. Although it might have been cool if they'd given some confirmation to the sender that they had blocked the mail.

 

[TheStu]

I dunno, an email system that decides what email to deliver rather than the user deciding seems... well... sort of broken to me. Especially if it doesn't give you any notice of this behaviour.

That's I think the biggest part. It is probably an overzealous, or context unaware spam filter, but the fact that the sender doesn't get notice... that's weird and crummy.

I wouldn't say that they are 'censoring', that implies malicious intent to me, but whatever the reason, it certainly isn't a good situation.

 

[ViRGE]

That's I think the biggest part. It is probably an overzealous, or context unaware spam filter, but the fact that the sender doesn't get notice... that's weird and crummy.

You have to be really careful in giving the sender notice. Otherwise you'll become a relay for a backscatter attack.

 

[TheStu]

You have to be really careful in giving the sender notice. Otherwise you'll become a relay for a backscatter attack.

So, no good fix then other than to dial down their spam filter. But, that second link included a quote from Apple clarifying that it is NOT censorship.

 

[WelshBloke]

So, no good fix then other than to dial down their spam filter. But, that second link included a quote from Apple clarifying that it is NOT censorship.

I think those two articles are about different issues.

The second does seem to be a spam filter, the first does seem to be censorship (if it's occurring as described).

 

[TheStu]

I think those two articles are about different issues.

The second does seem to be a spam filter, the first does seem to be censorship (if it's occurring as described).

I missed the section about the PDF, I just jumped right over that paragraph the first time... yea, that definitely smacks of censorship to a certain extent. Running the filter on the attachments is more than a little draconian.

 

[bearxor]

You guys don't have your spam filters check attachments?