Back in June, Apple had made an announcement in its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) that it will start requiring app developers to provide information that their apps extract from the users. It means that whatever data an app collects when a user downloads it, Apple will be needing to know the extent of those details. Once they are known to Apple, it will then put privacy labels on those apps in the App Store so that users will know exactly how much of their information is at risk with those apps. This update was expected to launch with the release of iOS 14, but now, Apple has announced the exact date when this feature will start working.
As planned, from 8th December 2020, the third-party app developers will start giving the exact account of all the users’ data that they collect through their apps. Apple is trying to make its platform more transparent for the users, and its anti-ad tracking feature with the release of iOS 14 was also a part of this campaign. And now this update finally is here.
Once Apple gets the exact amount of information that these third-party app developers are collecting from the users who download their apps, the company will start putting up labels, as mentioned above. Suppose there is a gaming app that a user wants to install. So, before they do that, they will see the labels that will tell them how much of their information will be collected by the app developers. If it is something that the user does not wish, they can simply drop the idea of downloading that app. Everything will be crystal clear and transparent, and if they still decide to download that app, it will be through their informed consent.
These labels will basically tell the user whether the information or data that the app collects will help the developers to link with them, or if it can be used to track their location. In either case, whatever the purpose of the collection of users’ data by the app developers is, it will be transparent to the users.
Even now the app developers can share these details through Apple’s App Store Connect website. It is mandatory for them to update this information whenever there is a new app launched or a new update for an existing app is released.
anouchka via Getty Images
Read next: Apple’s latest iOS and iPadOS 14.2 software is bringing a lot of interesting features and optimized battery charging options for AirPods
As planned, from 8th December 2020, the third-party app developers will start giving the exact account of all the users’ data that they collect through their apps. Apple is trying to make its platform more transparent for the users, and its anti-ad tracking feature with the release of iOS 14 was also a part of this campaign. And now this update finally is here.
Once Apple gets the exact amount of information that these third-party app developers are collecting from the users who download their apps, the company will start putting up labels, as mentioned above. Suppose there is a gaming app that a user wants to install. So, before they do that, they will see the labels that will tell them how much of their information will be collected by the app developers. If it is something that the user does not wish, they can simply drop the idea of downloading that app. Everything will be crystal clear and transparent, and if they still decide to download that app, it will be through their informed consent.
These labels will basically tell the user whether the information or data that the app collects will help the developers to link with them, or if it can be used to track their location. In either case, whatever the purpose of the collection of users’ data by the app developers is, it will be transparent to the users.
Even now the app developers can share these details through Apple’s App Store Connect website. It is mandatory for them to update this information whenever there is a new app launched or a new update for an existing app is released.
anouchka via Getty Images
Read next: Apple’s latest iOS and iPadOS 14.2 software is bringing a lot of interesting features and optimized battery charging options for AirPods
