Video calls
FaceTime privacy rating
Apple's audio and video calling app built into iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro, supporting group calls and call links that others can join from a web browser.
Summary
FaceTime scores 47 out of 100 (grade D) on the video calls criteria. It meets 2 of 7 criteria: no ads or data sales and end-to-end encrypted. It partly meets no trackers or telemetry and join without an account. It does not meet open source, independent audit and self-hostable. It is based in the United States: Five Eyes member; subject to the US CLOUD Act.
Score 47 out of 100. How scoring works
Criteria
- No
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Partial
No trackers or telemetry Weight 3 of 3
Are the website and apps free of third-party trackers, with any analytics anonymous and any telemetry off by default?
No third-party trackers in the app, and sharing device analytics with Apple is opt-in. Apple web pages load Apple's own analytics (ac-analytics, sent to metrics.apple.com) by default.
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Yes
No ads or data sales Weight 2 of 3
Is the product funded without advertising, ad targeting or selling user data?
No ads in FaceTime. Apple states it does not sell personal data.
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No
Independent audit Weight 2 of 3
Has an independent security or privacy audit been published within the last three years?
No independent audit is published.
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Yes
End-to-end encrypted Weight 3 of 3
Are calls end-to-end encrypted by default?
One-to-one and Group FaceTime calls are end-to-end encrypted.
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Partial
Join without an account Weight 1 of 3
Can people join calls without an account?
People with a FaceTime link can join from a web browser without an Apple Account; the person creating the link needs an Apple device and account.
- No