Apple has made a handful of privacy announcements today. The company is launching new “app privacy” tags in the App Store, providing a more detailed and easy-to-read view of app privacy practices. It has also updated its privacy website with new details and updated its privacy policy. Here is all the information about the current changes.
Application privacy tags
Apple began requiring developers to send their new privacy information to the App Store to update their apps on December 8th. New app privacy tags are now officially released to the App Store for users.
These privacy “nutrition labels” were first introduced at WWDC over the summer, and Apple said the goal is to better inform consumers about the privacy practices of individual apps. Application privacy tags are divided into three sections: “data used to track”, “linked data”, and “unrelated data.”
A transparent overview of an app’s privacy practices is key to building trust with potential users. Developers now have the opportunity to detail the privacy practices of their app directly in the App Store so that users can review it, including the types of data that apps might collect, if that data is shared with third parties and option that users can turn off.
Apple has pointed out that there are several important pieces of information that developers should remember as they prepare app privacy “nutrition labels” for their apps:
- Developers should identify all possible data collections and uses, even if some data will be collected and used only in limited situations.
- Developer responses should follow the App Store review guidelines and all applicable laws.
- Developers are responsible for keeping your answers accurate and up to date. If your practices change, update your answers in the App Store Connect.
Apple says the new privacy information is needed for all apps, including Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV. In order to post any updates to your apps, developers will also need to provide this additional privacy information.
Apple’s new website and privacy policy
Apple’s updated privacy policy is designed to be easier for users to digest and is beginning to be broader than Apple thinks of as personal data:
At Apple, we strongly believe in fundamental privacy rights and that these fundamental rights should not differ depending on where you live in the world. That’s why we treat any data related to an identified or identifiable person or that Apple may relate to or link to as “personal data,” regardless of where you live. This means that data that directly identifies you (such as your name) is personal data and also data that does not directly identify you, but can reasonably be used to identify you (such as your device’s serial number) is personal data .
The privacy policy includes a detailed description of the following topics:
- What is personal data at Apple?
- Your privacy rights at Apple
- Personal data that Apple collects from you
- Personal data that Apple receives from other sources
- Use of Apple personal data
- Share personal data from Apple
- Protection of personal data at Apple
- Personal and children’s data
- Cookies and other technologies
- Transfer of personal data between countries
- Our commitment to the whole company with your privacy
- Privacy questions
Here you can find Apple’s full updated privacy policy. Finally, Apple has updated its privacy website to add additional details about the new privacy features in iOS 14, including the privacy tags of the aforementioned apps.
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