how to delete purchased Appstore history?

It appears that you are correct. I never tried to opt out before so I assumed it actually did something.

Sorry about that.

I decided to go straight to the horse's mouth, so to speak, to express my concerns over the privacy issue and suggest that a fix should be made to allow the user to censor what shows on the purchase history on devices linked to their iTunes account.

I emailed several Apple executives, including the CEO and you can imagine my amazement when I got this reply...

I thank Mr. Jobs for taking the time to reply to my email but I have checked my iPhone settings and cannot see a feature to turn off the purchase history.

I have therefore sent him the following reply...

Can you be more specific about where in Settings, I can turn off the purchase history feature.

I have checked and I cannot see this option. My iPhone is running iOS 4.3.3 (8J2)

Thanks.

I'll let you know if he gets back to me...

I can't find these settings he is talking about.....

I hope more people will send feedbacks to apple, and maybe then they will allow removing apps history.

Some encouraging news.

I jet got this email from Eddy Cue, Apple's VP of Internet Services...

Hi Chris,

I appreciate your feedback. There is currently no way to not show past purchases in the purchased area. We will look to see if we can address this in the future.

Eddy

I updated my OS to 4.3.3 and now my whole family can see the purchased history. This is creating a HUGE privacy issue for me because all of sudden my children can see and download apps that are not appropriate for kids. Where are the kids advocate groups? Sign out of iTunes is not an answer. Someone said in another posting "Don't download bad stuff", don't tell me what I can/can't download, that is my private business. Most families share computers and Apple MUST provide solution for this problem ASAP.

I encourage everyone to contact Apple and post this issue on their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

I am in total agreement with Virginia... this really needs to be sorted out ASAP.

In the meantime I have opened a new iTunes account using the same credit card details.

I have updated these details on out two iPhones and iPad and now when you go to the purchased history on the device it shows that nothing has been previously purchased.

I have also updated one of the apps (which was originally downloaded on the original account) and it has merely asked for the password for the original account. So it seems that you can set the device to download new content on one account and still be able to update old apps on the older account.

I'm not sure what issues this will cause when I sync with iTunes on my MacBook.

I agree with everybody. ASAP Apple. I've always been blown away by the technological advances Apple has come up with, but this was really short-sighted. Neat idea, but folks need to be able to customize this iCloud experience to their needs and likings. I hope that this is resolved soon

And piggybacking on "mightybees" I also created another iTunes account. Everything seems to work fine, and privacy has been restored as long as you don't sign into your original account. I guess this is good for now.

I don't think this is a good idea to have several accounts. If you purchase some items on a new account, and later will update apps, appstore will be asking passwords for each account you have apps from. You will not be able to transfer purchased apps from different accounts to one later. And also there is a possibility that later on AppStore will ask you to confirm your credit card information again and again.

I hope thaT Apple will add possibility to edit purchased history very soon. I would like to see some categories, folders and "parent lock" there as well, so you can sort purchased items and lock some that you don't want your children install.

I have 2 accounts now..I purchase apps on my original account and then log onto my other so there is no app purchase history...When is Apple going to fix this problem?

I actually really like this. I buy so many apps, delete them cause they are less than perfect and forget about them. This allows me to look up past purchases and get games and apps that have had some work and run smoothly now. iTunes way to see my purchases is a mess and hard to sort through. Granted I don't like seeing all the free apps I download on here though. I have a phone/text app on my iPad and can call out. I use it only to call my iPhone when I can't find it(usually in a couch cushion). When bored I download free apps to gain minutes on it. My purchased list is filled with apps I never wanted. As for the people who are "embarrassed" by their apps, what are you downloading that you are so embarrassed about. This is apple, there's no **** or other apps on here like that. You got a dating app, who cares. If the app is deleted, it still requires your password to redownload it so if your kids don't have your pw your fine. If they do, they are gonna download it anyways. I don't get the big deal here. Apple, let me delete unwanted purchased cloud listed apps I down ever wanna redownload again to keep my purchased list clean!!!

LatchJohnson,

This is a forum for folks looking for a legitimate solution to a problem that has us apple users extremely concerned. Though you may choose to exercise your right to voice your opinion, be aware that we don't need yet another "I don't get the big deal here" poster.

If you "actually really like this", you may want to share your delight with the most recent Apple update in another more suitable forum.

Mean no disrespect. Just sayin'.

Your right, this is a forum for answers. As I sat down last night and read through the comments, it's 99% people whining they can't can't change it. They have nearly nothing to say other than "this *****" and " its a violation of my privacy". How come i dont see you repling to them in the same sarcastic tone as none of them have anythingly remotely constructive to say about the problem, or is it because my opinion doesn't follow yours and your just a whinner too who commiserates well with others. I take your rude comment fully as disrespect and couldn't care less about your opinion. You guys ***** and moan saying they put no thought into this, yada yada yada, but many people with a bit more knowledge and vision than you decided and implemented this. So I'll leave you all to cry in peace, I don't ever post it forums cause i generally dont have the time and because of fanboys like you with no life that I don't wanna waste my time on.

Latch,

The whiners in this forum, myself included, are seeking answers. I can't complain about those who are in the same boat as me.

If you have nothing worthwhile to contribute, kindly move along.

You see Latch? This is why we need to keep it civil. Now all previous messages are gone.

For what it's worth, and so as to not deviate from the subject at hand, I doubt anyone here has THE answer we are all looking for, namely, to dispatch the history of our purchases in the format that it is currently presented in. We don't want to hand over our devices to our children only to have them see an innapropriate purchase (for a minor) that was probably made a long time ago and we since removed or deleted, not wanting to see it ever again.

The case has been made over and over, "why don't you change the password?", "why don't you open a new account?", "why don't you switch to an iTunes store from another country?". To which we all anwer, "why?" Most of us do some kind of sharing of our devices over the same network account with our families. I certainly don't want to spend money on buying every single member a different gadget when one iPad will do just fine.

This points out one very real truth: Although I haven't met anyone here personally, I am willing to bet most of us who are contributing, even if it's through some kind of whining and complaining about the current situation, are parents, men and women (all grown up and out of the house, with lives, jobs and families to feed) who are worried about the content visible in their devices. No amount of parental control has kept my previous purchases from showing up as icons in the purchase history list. My 11 year old may not be able to download it because of restrictions, but they can sure see what mommy or daddy (rightfully, legitimetely, and because they wanted to) purchased some time back... the icon is still there. I don't want it to be that way.

That leads me to yet another truth: This may not be a "privacy issue" the way most of us read about it every day. But it sure makes me feel I lack the parental control I need to keep my children from seeing this purchase history list, a list I'd rather keep private for the sake of my kids, or guests who happen to be in and want to fiddle with the gadget.

On a final note to Latch, I suppose you are welcome to express how you feel, but bear in mind that if you feel like we do, then we are on the same side. So, nothing personal. Just trying to get Apple's attention on the matter of creating a fix for this unwelcome glitch on an otherwise great update.