• Is it possible to create an AppleID on iOS 10.3+ (or macOS 10.12.4+) WITHOUT giving Apple your private phone number permanently for 2FA

    From Andrew@andrew@spam.net to misc.phone.mobile.iphone,comp.mobile.ipad,comp.sys.mac.system on Sat Aug 24 03:07:45 2024
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

    Simple privacy question regarding my iOS 10th gen iPad (iPadOS 17.6.1).
    Q: Is it even possible to set up a new iOS (or macOS) device WITHOUT 2FA?
    <https://support.apple.com/en-us/102660>
    A: ?

    If the answer is yes, then the next logical question is...
    Q: How?
    A: ?

    Note that Apple was sued for not letting people remove 2FA. https://www.macrumors.com/2019/02/09/apple-two-factor-authentication-lawsuit/ Which, at that time 5 years ago, Apple said you had 2 weeks to remove it.

    However.... I created an AppleID today on my new 10th generation iPad.
    And it will NOT let me remove the 2FA that is *automatically* created!

    The way I created that AppleID was simple:
    a. A few weeks ago I set up the iPad as a dumb device
    <https://www.novabbs.com/computers/article-flat.php?id=16597&group=misc.phone.mobile.iphone#16597>
    b. That means there was no Apple ID at that time
    c. Today, I wanted to install Google Voice from the App Store
    d. Given iOS is a dumb terminal, I had to log into App Store servers
    e. Which means I had to create an AppleID (despite not wanting to do so)
    f. On the iPad I tapped the settings first entry at the left
    g. With this, I added an AppleID with *required* a valid phone number
    h. There was NO OPTION to skip this involuntary step
    i. So I gave it that "verification phone number" which it accepted
    j. But now it has *PERMANENT* 2FA (which it won't let you get rid of)

    In creating that new @icloud.com AppleID, Apple insisted on me losing my privacy by giving Apple a "verification" phone number (which had no way of
    not giving to Apple if you wanted to create the Apple ID).

    Worse... much (much) worse, is that Apple unilaterally forced two-factor authorization after having created the AppleID.

    Worse, (even more worse), you can't get RID of that involuntary 2FA as far
    as I can tell. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe you know something I don't know.

    Didn't Apple get sued for not letting people opt out of 2FA.

    It used to be 2 weeks where you can remove the Apple ID verification phone number before Apple forced you to use 2FA for the rest of your life.

    I only created that AppleID today and it unilaterally added 2FA.
    It won't let me REMOVE the 2FA. (I don't have passkeys.)

    Note: I didn't create a password, nor any gimmicky biometrics, and I didn't
    add any security questions (it never asked for them).

    Q: Is it even possible to set up a new iOS (or macOS) device WITHOUT 2FA?
    <https://support.apple.com/en-us/102660>
    A: ?

    If the answer is yes, then the next logical question is...
    Q: How?
    A: ?
    --- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114
  • From Andrew@andrew@spam.net to misc.phone.mobile.iphone,comp.mobile.ipad,comp.sys.mac.system on Mon Aug 26 02:42:41 2024
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

    Andrew wrote on Sat, 24 Aug 2024 03:07:45 -0000 (UTC) :

    Simple privacy question regarding my iOS 10th gen iPad (iPadOS 17.6.1).
    Q: Is it even possible to set up a new iOS (or macOS) device WITHOUT 2FA?
    <https://support.apple.com/en-us/102660>
    A: ?

    Unfortunately, it turns out to be impossible to create a new AppleID
    without 2 factor authorization since about at least February of 2023.

    Which means for the rest of your natural life, you can't log into any Apple device with that new AppleID without *also* having your phone with you!

    That's the dumbest use model on the planet & yet Apple customers accept it!

    Apple customers are herd-following ignorant sheep if they accept this
    absurd Apple-only use model which requires you to have your phone with you
    for the rest of your life just in case you need to log into your device.

    REFERENCES: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254616267?answerId=258620912022&sortBy=rank#258620912022
    https://support.apple.com/en-ca/102660 https://developer.apple.com/support/authentication/ https://support.apple.com/en-ca/102660 https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/icloud/
    etc.
    --- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114