With all the litigation going on involving the smartphone industry, something good might have come from one Courtroom. The California Attorney General has struck a deal with Microsoft, Apple, Google, HP, RIM and Amazon that will have new privacy policies put in place.
In a nutshell the agreement will:
- Require any software that uses personal information to provide a privacy policy that can be viewed in the store before any app is downloaded.
- There will also be a requirement to provide links to the relevant documents in an obvious and consistent location.
- Each app store will provide a simple way for users to report developers that violate the rules.
- Each platform is committed to educating developers about their obligations to respect consumer privacy and to disclose what private information they collect, how it is used and how it is shared.
As far as enforcement is concerned, violators can be prosecuted under California's Unfair Competition and False Advertising laws. Not sure how far of a reach such enforcement will have but it's a start.
Source: California Attorney General Via: Engadget
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