Yet Apple tracks its users for many purposes and so does not contradict the trend of data colonialism, except that its business model does not generally depend on the sale of this data. Indeed, Apple receives substantial sums from Google for allowing it privileged access to iPhone users. A controversy developed when Apple's iOS and MacOS systems were shown to collect information on user location and search activity. Apple's subsequent Privacy Policy states that collected data “will not be associated with [a user's] IP address,” yet iPhone features still support the surveillance needs of marketers.

Nick Couldry & Ulises A. Mejias, The Costs of Connection, loc. 81