Daring FireballOct 26
The Talk Show: ‘You and Frank Sinatra’
https://daringfireball.net/linked/2025/10/26/the-talk-show-432
The Talk Show: ‘You and Frank Sinatra’

Link to: https://daringfireball.net/thetalkshow/2025/10/26/ep-432

Daring Fireball
Show threadMichael Critz

@daringfireball @gruber You said, “ICEBlock … couldn't be done as a web app with the same privacy control because the author of the app didn't want to have a db of people's device IDs [or] location.”

I know Aaron wrote that but it’s been called into question. Ex: https://www.theverge.com/cyber-security/707116/iceblock-data-privacy-security-android-version

Apple’s being cowardly in the face of authoritarianism but that’s tangental to the technical aspects of privacy.

ICEBlock isn’t ‘completely anonymous’

The ICEBlock app for reporting sightings of immigration officials has sparked debates over privacy and data protection on iPhone and Android devices.

The Verge
Oct 27 at 12:34amIvory for Mac
Show threadJohn GruberOct 27
@pixelscience That ICEblock is more private than a web app with the same features is not in dispute. But you have to trust Apple.
Show threadMichael CritzOct 27
@gruber Maybe I’m missing something. How is it more private?
Show threadMichael CritzOct 27

@gruber I thought about this for a good while. I think ICEBlock could be using CloudKit subscriptions. That would be a more private way to trigger notifications.

App onboarding -> register for CK updates to a public DB and backgroundTask.
CK record update-> triggers bg launch.
App then checks if the new report is within proximity of the user.
If the device is close enough to a new report then it schedules a local UNNotif.

That’d align with Aaron’s statements and also be more private.