Forced Apple ID security questions for App store - why?

Not in all markets.

I haven't been able to buy an app from the AppStore for two years, since they introduced forced security questions I don't know the answers to, or even download a FREE app, because of these security questions. I never had a "best friend" at high school, I don't remember the "first movie I saw" at age 6 or thereabouts, and I can't remember which was the first of my repertoire of 6 dishes I can cook. These questions are an invasion of privacy.

I raised a ticket with Apple, but they said "that's the way the system is meant to be, and no-one has complained, so we aren't changing it". They advised me to lie, and just make up false answers if I don't know the right ones. It's nearly impossible to remember lies, but the truth is easy to remember. Being told to lie by Apple Tech Support because they refuse to change the security questions, or allow us to make up our own, is just beyond the pale. I have only the apps I bought before Apple introduced their policy of barring me from using it because I don't know the answers to their invasive questions. For new requirements, I use Android for apps now, where there is none of this Fort Knox mentality where you are being protected from yourself. Rather inconvenient to have to carry two phones, but if Apple want to shut me out by this policy, then eventually I will have to switch to a provider that does allow me to download apps.

Because of this attitude, I am reviewing my entire commitment to Apple for my music studio,private business and university requirements. I have been loyal to Apple since I bought a Mac Plus in 1986, however, because I am just one person, they don't need to care and won't miss me. They've gotten too big now, so they can ignore the little guy.

I'd be interested to know if you were able to bypass the 3 questions. I have not been able to, and believe me, i have been trying for about two years.

"Most folks" isn't good enough. This means that Apple is restricting access to those who had only ONE best friend at school - even to download a FREE app.

I never had a best friend at high school. I had many, and they changed over the years. I have a repertoire of 6 dishes I know how to cook, but I can't remember which one I learned first. I had many favourite teachers, not just one, and they too changed over the years. I as about 5 when I probably saw my first movie, but I can't remember 55 years later what order I saw them in, and what in the **** business is ANY of this of Apple Computer anyway?

I can log in to my bank account with an ID and a PIN and that's dealing in far larger sums than a $2 app, or a free app download.

You may have lucked in with all this palaver, but I'm outa here.

According to you there is no problem, so nothing to share.

But that means you still have to remember the false answer. And this also means Apple gets to keep this lockout of bona fide customers.

I called Apple and this was their response: "No-one has complained about this system. That's the way it works, and we aren't changing it. Make up false answers if you don't know the right ones".

Right - great customer service. Not.

Apple put these forums here so as to cut down traffic to their lines. All this forum does is allow people to share their grievances, and agree the problem cannot be solved since they never get to Apple.

No-one at Apple reads them, and complaints are completely ignored. They made their money already and now it's rivers of gold. So long as most of their customers had happy American childhoods and can answer the forced security questions, the rest can go take a hike. Shocking attitude.

I have identical issues, and they made me conclude that Apple is trying to get rid of customers who had more than one friend at school or who can cook several dishes or who saw many movies. They have very particular requirements for the type of people they want using their AppStore, and I'm afraid neither you nor I fit the profile of their "ideal customers". Apple have such precise requirements for disliked classes as us to be excluded from their customer base.

Apple are trying to weed out certain types of customer with these security questions. They don't want people who had more than one friend at school, who saw more than one movie, or who can cook more than one dish. They're going through a purge right now, and we're early casualties. Jump while you still can.

A legitimate complaint is not a "rant", unless you regard anything aside from meek compliance to be such. I have the identical complaint. There - I ranted.

Apple are trying to weed out certain types of customer with these security questions. They don't want people who had more than one friend at school, who saw more than one movie, or who can cook more than one dish. They're going through a purge right now, and we're early casualties. Jump while you still can.