Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has come under fire for his recent remarks about Apple’s ‘Find My’ service, describing it as “super creepy surveillance tech” that “shouldn’t exist.” According to a report from MacRumors shared by Slashdot user Applehu Akbar, Sweeney recounted an incident from several years ago when a Mac laptop was stolen from his car. Years later, Sweeney checked the Find My app, and it revealed the location of the thief, as the laptop was still connected to his Apple ID.
When asked if he had recovered his laptop, Sweeney replied, “No. I was creeped out by unexpectedly seeing the kid’s address, so I disabled Find My iPhone on all my devices.”
Slashdot user crmarvin42 sarcastically remarked, “Tell me you’re ridiculously wealthy without telling me you’re ridiculously wealthy… Next, someone will claim it’s ‘creepy’ to have security footage of someone stealing your Amazon packages.” The commenter also questioned Sweeney’s motives, suggesting he might be criticizing Apple to damage its reputation amid ongoing legal battles.
MacRumors detailed the ensuing debate:
Sweeney argued that tracking a device’s location inherently involves tracking the person possessing it, infringing on their privacy rights. He believes that recovering lost or stolen devices should involve legal procedures, not direct tracking by the device owner, to avoid “vigilante justice.”
Critics pointed to a Vox article highlighting Epic’s own privacy issues, including a $520 million fine for violating children’s privacy with Fortnite.
Additionally, a 2014 report noted that iPhone thefts declined following Apple’s introduction of the “Activation Lock” feature, which prevents disabling ‘Find My’ without a password.
When AppleInsider accused Sweeney of flawed logic, he responded by emphasizing the ethical implications. “You’re seeing this as good guys tracking down criminals, but when Find My or similar technologies from Google lead device owners to the homes of device possessors, it can involve innocent families, children, and legitimate buyers of second-hand devices. We need to question whether it’s appropriate for platforms to use GPS and mesh network technologies to potentially provoke physical confrontations.”
Sweeney also cited Steve Jobs, who expressed concerns about stalking risks associated with phone tracking, particularly involving teenagers.
