Ever since the Facebook Cambridge Analytica scandal broke, people have (rightly so) been more concerned about all the data the major tech companies hold about us. People also want an easy way to access all the data and download a copy for themselves.
To this end, major tech companies including Google, Facebook, and Twitter have created download tools that allow you to see and download every bit of data the company has about you. But what about Apple?
While Apple hasn’t unveiled their direct download tool yet (but it’s coming soon, thanks to the EU’s new GDPR rules), Apple does have a way you can get a copy of all the data the company currently holds about you.
But what does this data include? Unlike other tech companies, Apple doesn’t keep as much information about their users as Facebook and Google does. Where those companies store your location and message history, photos, and ads you’ve clicked on, Apple only stores records of the content you’ve downloaded through its various stores, like iTunes, the App Store, and its iBooks and Podcasts stores. That’s in addition to your Apple hardware purchases and repair history, as well as customer service requests.
Apple does NOT store copies of your emails or message history except for a short time after you delete them. Following that, Apple wipes the data from their systems for good.
Still, if you’d like to see all the limited information the company does have on you, Apple has a pretty easy way of getting it. Here’s how:
- Go to Apple's Privacy Policy page at https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/
- Under the section titled "Access to Personal Information," the company says that Apple will provide you with a copy of the information it holds on you if requested.
- Now click the "Privacy Contact Form" link (it’s https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/contact/).
- Next, choose your language.
- In the "I have a question about” drop-down menu, select Privacy Issues.
- Fill in your first and last name, your email, and the subject. In the comments section add a note that you are requesting a copy of your personal information.
- Click the submit button.
- The next step involves waiting about 5 business days. In that time Apple’s privacy team will reach out to you with a series of security questions to prove your identity. These questions might include queries about your personal information, your Apple ID, a previous AppleCare case support number, or one of your Apple product’s series numbers. After you provide this information you’ll need to wait up to another five business days.
- Then you’ll get a second email from Apple with a password-protected ZIP file attached. Another email will have the password required to open the ZIP file. This file includes a spreadsheet with all the data Apple has on you.
As you’ll be able to tell from the spreadsheet Apple is one of the few tech giants who hardly stores any information about you beyond your download and purchase histories.