Personal data found hidden in iTunes tracks

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article1871173.ece

Names, e-mails and other sensitive information embedded in files
Rhys Blakely

Fresh privacy fears have been sparked after it emerged that Apple has
embedded personal information into music files bought from its iTunes
online music store.

Technology websites examining iTunes products discovered that personal
data, including the name and e-mail addresses of purchasers, are
embedded into the AAC files that Apple uses to distribute music tracks.

The information is also included in tracks sold under Apple's iTunes
Plus system, launched this week, where users pay a premium for music
that is free from the controversial digital rights (DRM) software that
is designed to safeguard against piracy.

The Electronic Freedom Foundation, the online consumer rights group,
added that it had identified a large amount of additional unaccounted-
for information in iTunes files. It said it was possible that the data
could be used to "watermark" tracks so that the original purchaser
could be tracked down were a track to appear on a file-sharing network.
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Ars Technica, among the first websites to unveil the hidden
information, said: "Everyone should be aware that while DRM-free files
may lift a lot of restrictions on our personal usage habits, it doesn't
mean that we can just start sharing the love, so to speak. Sharer
beware."

An Apple spokeswoman was unable to comment when contacted by Times
Online.

The discovery of the data, of which most iTunes users will have been
unaware, underscores the reluctance of music groups to allow music to
circulate freely over the web.

With estimates suggesting that 40 tracks are digitally bootlegged for
every legally downloaded track, piracy remains a massive problem for
the industry and music groups have largely proven reluctant to withdraw
the controversial DRM technologies.

Apple had sought to present itself as a consumer champion, with the
group's chief executive, Steve Jobs, insisting earlier this year that
his company would drop DRM "in a heartbeat" if allowed to by the labels.

Previously, Apple's DRM system had been criticised by several European
regulators for being anti-competitive because it only allowed tracks to
be played on Apple's iPod digital music players.

Apple's iTunes Plus service, launched this week, offers DRM-free music
of a higher quality than standard iTunes tracks for 99p a song -
compared with 79p for a standard track. Users who opt to pay extra for
iTunes Plus tracks will be able to play the music without limitations
on the type of music player or number of computers that purchased songs
can be played on.

The service is launching with EMI's digital catalogue of outstanding
recordings, including singles and albums from Coldplay, The Rolling
Stones, Norah Jones, Frank Sinatra, Joss Stone, Pink Floyd and John
Coltrane.

Steve Jobs, the Apple chief executive, said: "We expect more than half
of the songs on iTunes will be offered in iTunes Plus versions by the
end of this year."

Online music sales still account for only 10 per cent of the total
market and are not yet growing at a rate which compensates for the
decline in revenues from CDs - approximately 2 to 3 per cent per year.

EMI, which has previously released tracks by Norah Jones and Lily Allen
without copyright protection, shelved plans to drop DRM on a more
widespread basis after iTunes competitors refused to make "risk
insurance" payments designed to offset potential losses that would
result from the move. It is unclear whether Apple has made any such
payment.

Other labels, including Universal Music and Sony BMG, have experimented
with offering music without DRM, but none has pursued the strategy as
aggressively as EMI.

The iTunes Store has sold over 2.5 billion songs, 50 million TV shows
and over two million movies, making it the leader in each of those
markets.

.

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  • Re: Und nochmals ein unkundiger mp3-Player Einkäufer
    ... Die ganze Sache mit den DRM wie itunes, ist das Letzte für den Nutzer. ... In die letzte Runde haben es bei mir der Philips GoGear und der Apple ... Ich habe mir heute von einem Freund den iPod ...
    (de.rec.musik.hifi)
  • PcWorld FAQ: iTunes and DRM-Free Music
    ... FAQ: iTunes and DRM-Free Music ... Apple and EMI today announced that you'll soon be able to buy higher- ... These songs will be added to the list of copy-protected ... Why are Apple and EMI doing this? ...
    (comp.sys.mac.advocacy)
  • Re: Question from Jeannie about MP3 files
    ... It's illegal because Apple uses a proprietary format to prevent people from ... playing iTunes songs on anything but an iPod. ... I have an umpteen year old CD player that plays ...
    (sci.med.transcription)
  • RE: Apple Gets What They Deserve
    ... And, yes, my CD/DVD burner is listed by Apple ... I have said in my posts that I will not buy any more music thru ITunes ... Apple ITunes Sales Slid in First Half, ... Research Inc. report. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.music)
  • Re: iTunes vs. Windows Media Player
    ... not a huge deal but clearly not as easy as in iTunes. ... >>>The songs played fine. ... > The only difference being that WMP's DRM is on by default and iTunes' ... WMP adds DRM to ripped songs if you don't unselect that in the preferences. ...
    (comp.sys.mac.advocacy)
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