# How much does Apple know about its users?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-apple-know-about-its-users/625608>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 19, 2012, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-apple-know-about-its-users/625608 "2012-06-19T03:10:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-apple-know-about-its-users/625608/1 "2012-06-19T03:10:39Z")

</div>

Apple has servers with its users’ information. From the services it provides, I’m trying to figure out how much it knows (maybe this is in its TOS?)

iTunes  
Credit card info  
Email

FaceTime  
Phone number  
Email (non-iTunes)  
IP address and hence approximate location

iMessage  
Contact list - otherwise how does it know who in your contacts has iMessage and who doesn’t?

I’m guessing it also knows your current phone carrier.