{"id":2109,"date":"2011-04-14T15:01:00","date_gmt":"2011-04-14T21:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trustarc.com\/?post_type=resource&p=2109"},"modified":"2025-01-03T13:01:08","modified_gmt":"2025-01-03T19:01:08","slug":"app-developers-ignoring-privacy-could-be-a-costly-mistake","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/trustarc.com\/resource\/app-developers-ignoring-privacy-could-be-a-costly-mistake\/","title":{"rendered":"App Developers: Ignoring Privacy Could be a Costly Mistake"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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App Developers: Ignoring Privacy Could be a Costly Mistake<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\t
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Lately, news and discussions about mobile app privacy have been increasing. Not only is the media picking up on the growing concern by users about the collection and use of their personal data but industry associations are also much more active in developing guidelines and frameworks to help app developers and owners address the growing concern and to ward off regulation.<\/p>\n

To add to the mix, the government has stepped up its activities as seen by the recent Google settlement with the FTC<\/a> and the introduction of The Commercial Privacy Bill of Rights Act of 2011<\/a> by a bi-partisan team: of Senators John Kerry and John McCain.<\/p>\n

Privacy vs. security<\/h2>\n

So what does app privacy really mean? Is it the same as security?<\/p>\n

The two are often used interchangeably but I think they are very different and bear an explanation so app developers can start to address the heart of the issue. To help understand how they are different with regards to mobile apps, think of privacy as the collection and sharing of one\u2019s personally identifiable information that is gathered through an interaction with a mobile app.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, security is protecting a user\u2019s device from malicious apps through means such as installing anti-virus or anti-spyware tools or app. Also, a breach in security can result in a reduction of a user\u2019s privacy through the loss of personally identifiable information1<\/sup> via an app that diverts user registration information to the wrong hands.<\/p>\n

Why you should build user privacy into your app<\/h2>\n

Studies have shown that users reward companies that respect their privacy. Users that trust a brand or an app are more likely to share real information about themselves (i.e. submit their actual first and last name instead of \u201cMickey Mouse\u201d) and share more information. They are likely to also engage more often with that brand.<\/p>\n

Key fundamentals of app privacy<\/h2>\n

Mobile apps have unique privacy issues such as the use of geo-location and location- or behaviorally-based advertising. These issues are very meaty topics and have been addressed in my previous blogs. However, there are three guiding principles that should be present in your mobile apps.<\/p>\n