Which Mobile App Store Protects Customers' Privacy
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TECH&TRENDS Which Mobile App Store Protects Customers’ Privacy Best? With the recent shocking revelation that Google Play discloses customer information to sellers, we look at all the major mobile platforms to find out whether seller/buyer information is safely guarded... — Srinivasan Viswanathan t was recently revealed by an Australian developer cover the full name, email or suburb that they reveal that Google Play could be passing on customers’ to sellers! There are no notifications given to the buyer personal information to sellers without their consent. of the app in the mobile that informs them of the data IAccording to developer Dan Nolan, “every app being sent. However, Android does provide notifications purchase you make on Google Play gives the developer of permissions given when an app is being installed. your name, suburb and email address with no indication For example, it could say that the app will access “your that this information is actually being transferred”. messages” or “your location” so that the user is aware Nolan is the creator of the iOS app “Paul Keating insult before installation. However, an important point to generator”, which he recently ported over to the Android note is that quality control on Google Play is lower than platform. The app reached #1 on the iOS App Store in platforms such as iOS, and all that is needed is a smoke Australia. The developer claimed that since every trans- test before an app is approved. Hence, there are higher action is treated as a Google Wallet order, as if it was a chances for malicious apps to find themselves onto the physical purchase, the details of the person’s location and Android app store. email address are disclosed to the seller. Nolan claims that “With the information I have available to me through the iOS checkout portal I could track down and harass users who According to Nolan, “If you buy something on the iOS left negative reviews or refunded the app purchase”. App Store, you purchase it off Apple, and they pass the We have a look at each platform and the level of user money to the developer”. This is because Apple acts as privacy that it offers, and also how well the user is in- the merchant through the app store, by selling the app formed about his information being shared. and passing on the appropriate share to the developer. The only thing the App Store shares with developers is Android the general information about number of downloads. According to Google’s policy, “We will share personal We found that the only exception was the subscriptions information with companies, organizations or individuals through Apple’s newsstand store, but personal information outside of Google when we have your consent to do is only shared if the customer gives his consent. so. We require opt-in consent for the sharing of any There is a fine level of granularity for permissions given sensitive personal information”. According to their to apps. The first time an app asks for permission, perhaps definitions though, “sensitive personal information” to access location, the user can allow or deny the permis- refers to confidential medical facts, racial or ethnic sion. This is updated in the settings accordingly. The helpful origins, political or religious beliefs, sexuality. This doesn’t thing is, unlike Android, iOS allows you to change permis- 16 PCQUEST A P R I L 2 0 1 3 pcquest.com twitter.com/pcquest facebook.com/pcquest linkd.in/pcquest [email protected] Community Feedback on Mobile OS Privacy We spoke to a couple of developers and CIOs to find out their concerns about Mobile OS privacy issues. Here’s what they had to say. Suresh A Shan Gurbinder Sharma Deepanjan Paul (Android, Blackberry 10, (Android 2.0 , OVI and (Android Developer) iPhone and Symbian) Windows Phone). Do you feel this incident was an invasion of privacy? “ While the private information is shared for paid apps, it is not applicable for free apps. Certainly I strongly feel that it’s an invasion of privacy. Simply buying a product does not provide the rights to the seller to get all the info about the buyer. On one hand, Google is asking for the feedback about the app and also asking to rate it. If one rates it with negative comments, the buyer should not be harassed in any circumstances.” . “In the case for free apps or paid apps every seller has a right to know who their users are, potential buyers will be. Google shares info which helps analyzing market & product usage, like country of download, user name, age category, count of shared with friends, likes on FB, etc are useful. And these are not private information they’re behavioral information.” “Any leaks must require immediate attention. However, it’s all up to the buyer to research deeply what are the specifications of the device they are going to buy, and read the Terms & Conditions carefully prior to accepting them. This is the weakest area for buyers all over the world.” . Which platform offers the best privacy for consumers? “Windows Phone 8 protects the privacy best for the users because they have multiple checks. In case of Windows Apps , even before making the payment, I was asked to pass the testing check of the developers/expert panel which had a team of testers and developers who literally checked the application at code level. This itself shows that Windows take more care in protecting users privacy.” “iOS, here are the reasons. 1) Clear guidelines to put app on iTunes Store – violating guideline app will not get approval from initial stage itself. 2) Continuous monitoring of apps, app data. 3) No Flash support also keeps iOS secured from malware, spam or malicious offline user tracking” . “I prefer Windows phone and Android for their enhanced toolbar to design a better UI, and these platforms provide every tool and support required after sale as well. These are more robust to breach.” sions for every category of permissions, on the specific set specific permissions cannot be allowed for an app, and the of apps using the permissions. user has to allow all permissions before using an app. Windows Phone BlackBerry 10 After sifting through Windows Phone Store’s privacy policy, According to Blackberry’s privacy policy regarding all it reveals is that Microsoft will share your personal purchase terms from the BlackBerry World app store, information to “comply with the law”, “protect the rights it says “You consent to RIME providing Your Payment or property of Microsoft or our customers “ or “to protect Information to third party MoRs, payment processors, the personal safety of Microsoft employees, customers, or or other entities as is reasonably required to facilitate the public”.It does not mention anything about personal the Purchase and ancillary services”. In terms of financial information being shared with sellers. Since transactions transactions between vendors and clients, BlackBerry on the Windows Phone store are done through Microsoft, actually partners with two companies, Digital River personal details are not shared with the developers, like and Bango, to act as merchants and be responsible it is on Android. Moreover, the app policies for Windows for transaction processing, billing and disbursement Phone clearly states that if an app accesses any information of revenue. While Digital River will provide reports of that is personal in nature, it “must implement a method transactions to vendors, it will not share the personal to obtain the user’s “opt-in” consent”, and “provide a information of end users. Unlike Android and Windows mechanism through which the user can later opt out of Phone 8, BB10 does have settings for permissions so that having the information accessed, uploaded or shared.”. users can change the specific permissions they give to However, a disadvantage compared to the iOS is that apps without having to uninstall the app completely. pcquest.com twitter.com/pcquest facebook.com/pcquest linkd.in/pcquest [email protected] A P R I L 2 0 1 3 PCQUEST 17.