Mobile applications gain privacy of information

Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Research In Motionagreed to be bound by the principles of the normative California Online Privacy Protection Act to establish minimum standards of data protection to any application on mobile devices used in these companies.

The California law in question requires that software developers have a privacy policy for those products that capture user information, a statement sent by the state Department of Justice.

The deal was done to improve the protection of consumer privacy applications on mobile phones and tablets, a compromise supported by the authorities of California, reveals a statement by the companies, on Wednesday, 22/02. Currently,22 of the 30 most downloaded applications do not provide information aboutprivacy. Some allow access to users' contacts agendas.

A recent study showed that only 5% of all applications for mobile devices have a privacy policy in place that explains how to store, share and if they use the personal data of users. "Your personal privacy should not be the cost of using mobile applications, but this happens very often," said Kamala Harris, Prosecutor Generalof California.


The agreement between the major platforms, especially represented by the Apple(iPhone and iPad) and Google with its Android operating system, will, according toHarris, which will benefit not only residents in California, but "millions of people worldwide applications that use. "

The state's attorney indicated that the lack of supervision in the booming business of "apps" leaves consumers exposed to invasions of privacy by the softwaredevelopers themselves, analytical services, and advertising networks. Among thepersonal information that used to be available to third parties is the location ofusers, contacts, identities, messages and photographs. "Without a privacy policy,what companies do with the personal data we store is largely invisible toconsumers," the statement said.

The technology giant also pledged to educate developers about their obligationsregarding user privacy, and be introduced to tools to alert consumers about applications that do not comply with privacy regulations.