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Apple has released its “mandatory” privacy labels for apps on the App Store, and while what it tells users about apps like Facebook is revealing, other big developers seem to think disclosure is optional.
With the release of iOS 14.3, Apple has published the promised privacy guide on the App Store. The so-called “nutrition labels” are more prominent than expected, and Apple is not giving the free ride that it seemed to developers who violate the requirement.
However, the privacy label is still quite hidden in an app’s listings. It comes as a series of large card-shaped images, but comes after the app title, the new category details, a What’s New description, previews or screenshots, a more general app description, and ratings. and reviews.
It also remains true that developers have not been forced to update their applications with this information. Apple had imposed a December 8 deadline, but shortly before that date it also told developers that their existing apps would not be removed if they did not provide privacy details.
Consequently, searching the App Store shows many featured apps that have failed. When a developer has not provided information for this privacy label, Apple displays a label saying they have not.
When apps don’t have privacy information
Apps that do not have a full “nutrition label” still retain their link to the developer’s privacy policy. But they also get this tag that says they have not complied, and that they will have to do so before any more updates are accepted.
Some surprisingly large app developers, like Disney, have yet to comply
Apple has provided developers with documentation specifying what details to provide and what not to provide. Generally speaking, if an app collects data from a user and then uses it outside of the app in some way, or for any business, that needs to be disclosed.
Developers must fill out an online form with approximately 34 separate sections covering typical handling of user data. Some of these are very specific, such as those related to health details, while others are more comprehensive, such as applications that track the touches or clicks a user makes on your application.
Top Apps Lacking Privacy Labels
In a random sample taken at the time of this writing, the non-compliant apps include some surprisingly prominent ones.
Of the larger developers, Google appears not to have provided any privacy labels. None are displayed in Gmail, Google Maps, or the main Google search app.
Then from the smaller developers, PCalc is usually quick to come up with versions for new platforms, but has so far ignored this. It also has 1Password, the secure password manager.
It’s early, but it’s also after Apple’s original deadline. So we can expect most developers to provide the information, but presumably not now until they want to update their apps.
We are less concerned about the missed deadline by independent developers than we are about Google, Amazon and other big developers who are seemingly ignorant of this.
An application can have one, all, or none of these. Tapping on either will give you a little more detail
When apps have privacy information
Many of the randomly sampled titles included new privacy details, and that includes major companies like Microsoft.
Apple displays the details that it reaches users through a variety of labels. These range from one tag with few details to two separate tags with much more.
OmniFocus is typical of most applications and shows little use of user data.
Probably the most common situation is where few details need to be shown. For example, the OmniFocus to-do app has a tag headed Data linked to you.
Within that, there is only the information that purchases and identifiers “can be collected and linked to your identity.”
Tap on this or any other privacy label and you will get the details of what the developer has told Apple about what it does. It’s not much more detailed than on the main tag, but there’s not always much more to say.
the Data linked to you section for the fantastic calendar app, for example, includes an entry labeled Diagnosis. Touching to read the full description only explains that Accident data is collected.
Privacy labels for Facebook and Whatsapp
All applications are now supposed to provide certain information, and its details will vary according to each possible use of a user’s data. So far, there seem to be three different types of “nutrition labels.”
As much as Data linked to you, some applications contain a section called Data not linked to you. Fantastical, for example, has location data in this category, but its use does not identify you.
Facebook has two tags, and the detail of each lasts for several pages.
There’s also Data used to track youAnd unsurprisingly, social media apps like Facebook get this one. Facebook indicates that it uses your contact information, identities, and “other information” to track you.
When you tap for more information, you are informed that “identities” means your user ID and device ID. But the additional detail about the item “Other data” says, in total, “Other types of data”.
Interestingly, WhatsApp is only labeled Linked to You, with entries related to your user content and your location. WhatsApp has previously complained that Apple’s broad labeling will mean it will be bundled with apps that could be more invasive.
However, one element of the privacy details that WhatsApp has had to list concerns location. While it is true that any app that uses your location may have to list that fact, the additional detail for WhatsApp qualifies it. Whatsapp uses only your “approximate location”.
Benefits and limitations of privacy labels
Perhaps the best impact of the new labels is how their very existence educates all of us to be aware of our privacy. However, you don’t even have to look at the privacy notice before purchasing an app, making it a particularly strong barrier against apps that do more than you might want.
That’s mainly because of how buried the privacy label is, which usually comes after six other sections on the App Store listings.
However, the information is still quite vague. However, a developer can provide many more explanations on their own site.
However, that is also a problem. We and possibly Apple have to follow what the developer has said and there is no obvious way to verify that information.
Hopefully, Apple teams have systems in place to ensure the data is accurate before allowing an app or update on the App Store.
However, there is more to the idea of the “nutrition label” than there seemed to be. Also, if the information is not detailed, its presence will help you if you are concerned about an application.
And at the very least, it will make us more aware that we need to worry.
