Google, Apple, and Other Mobile App Developers Prepare for Crackdowns on Data Privacy Security

The rising concern over data privacy and the issues woven into the intricate web of technological advances has companies like Apple and Google, among others, preparing for more rules, legislation and fines if they don’t implement measures to increase data security on their own. Some companies are making changes to safeguard data and hope to stem the tide of more regulations and diminished user trust, not to mention avoiding huge fines and penalties. According to Apple spokesman, Tom Neumayr, in addition to a tool called Restrictions, which lets parents prevent children from installing or deleting apps, making in-app purchases and accessing certain other features, Apple’s efforts include “limited ad tracking and the ability for customers to manage their privacy settings for location, contacts, photos and more.” Google made some effort as well, when the company updated its developer program policy last year to prohibit apps that disclose personal information without user consent. The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) is actively investigating an increasing number of mobile apps for privacy violations. In February, social-networking site, Path, Inc., was fined $800,000 for unauthorized collection of user data. The agency is not alone in their ongoing concerns and actions. In December 2012, California Attorney General, Kamala Harris, filed a first-of-its-kind lawsuit against a mobile app developer when she sued Delta Airlines, claiming that the company's smartphone app violates state law because it does not have a privacy policy. The suit seeks to stop Delta from distributing the app without a privacy policy and includes penalties of up to $2,500 for each violation.