iCloud?

[question everything]

I don’t use it. I prefer to limit personal information floating someplace..

Recently after my iPhone was updated I was faced, in the Settings section, with a comment that I needed to agree to “terms and Conditions” for both iCloud and Apple Media Services. I have ignored this.

Shortly after, I am faced with a note that it has been - duration varies - “since the last backup for this iPhone.”

I use my iPhone for calls, mail, texts, some photos and checking local weather. Also visiting Facebook (I don’t post anything) and local Nextdoor which has been helpful. There is nothing to “back up,” but there is a clickable “Backup Settings.”

There is also a clickable OK below these two messages.

And today I am getting an email from iCloud that I have used over 50% of my iCloud storage.

How? I have never even clicked on iCloud. I certainly have not used it to store “photos, videos and documents.”. What are they talking about? Of course , with some payment I can get more storage. They are specifically talking about the iPhone, not my iMac which does contain documents and photos. I have no videos anyplace.

How can I get them to leave me alone?

I am not an expert. I use the computer to serve me, not the other way around.

Any advice? Thanks.

[usonian]

1. Just a guess.

You might have selected "store messages in iCloud". Messages are often the biggest space hog, and people LOVE to send videos.

Your free icloud is 5 GB, easily filled.

Oh, and apple mail, IIRC.

I don't save photos. I treat them as unix files, especially my Nikon photos, which I read into memory via the sd card reader thingy on my mac.


I did go to iCloud backups when the macs were bitching about "you must upgrade macos to connect this device" it was BS. Even a somewhat older mac can back up devices via itunes or the device just showing up on the desktop.

That message is for stuff I don't care about, AFAICT

So I do both. Icloud restore is verrrry slow compared to mac backup and restore, but experience tells me never to have a single point of failure.

You can log into icloud.com with your apple ID to see all that's there.

[question everything]

2. Thank you. I have never selected "store messages in iCloud!

I have never encountered such an option.

I don’t see why I should log into iCloud. Why encourage them?

[usonian]

3. messages are stored end-to-end encrypted no matter what

Complete end to end encryption is optional, and free, IIRC.

With that, Apple can't even read your backups. They have no key.

That said, backups of devices on the mac are indeed encrypted (I asked for it) with a very long key/

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If you have an apple id, there is icloud infrastructure. Period.

What's there depends. Isn't it better to know what's there than to just guess?

My two cents' worth and I have sent Apple some blazing emails over various things.

If you REALLY want anonymous, spin up a TAILS distro. https://tails.net/