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US Congress Probes iOS App Developers On Privacy
hypnosec writes with the arguably welcome news that "[The U.S.] Congress is gathering further information on iOS developers and how they deal with and implement privacy policies. The Next Web got hold of a letter from Congress which had been sent out to Tapbots, along with some 32 other iOS developers, including both Twitter and Facebook, and the devs of Path, SoundCloud, Foodspotting and Turntable.fm. The apps were picked because they come under the social networking umbrella in the 'essentials' area of the App Store. The letter begins: 'We are writing to you because we want to better understand the information collection and use policies and practices of apps for Apple's mobile devices with a social element.' What follows is a series of eight questions designed to gather more details regarding the popularity of the app in question, and the privacy policy to which it holds (and how it's made known to users)."
If I got a letter like that, I'd tell the government that as long as they support the actions of groups like the TSA, they have no business at all asking anyone else about their privacy policies or trying legislate privacy rights. They probably won't like being told to pound sand, or having the truth thrown in their faces, but those assholes deserve it.
Nothing like a government probe in your i
What could go wrong?
Life in Orange County
this comment says it all ....
http://yro.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2743843&cid=39459975
To what degree do developers of iOS applications have any obligation whatsoever to fill this form out and return it? What happens if you simply give them the same response given in Arkell v. Pressdram?
'The tyrant will always find pretext for his tyranny.' - Aesop's Fables
A little back-channel grease will slick the skids for your competition. Google's having these troubles too, both in the US and in China. It's just stalling though and will come to nothing.
You see, even if you have the entire government in your pocket you still have to come out with a desirable product.
Help stamp out iliturcy.
to which it holds...
Nullius in verba
To what degree do developers of iOS applications have any obligation whatsoever to fill this form out and return it? What happens if you simply give them the same response given in Arkell v. Pressdram?
Its better not to piss off those who can write the legislation that can screw up your business or industry. Its better for them to view you as cooperative and reasonable. That way when legislation is proposed that affects your business or industry you can speak with them from a more favorable position. If you had previously been cooperative and reasonable then your opinion will have more weight. This doesn't guarantee things will ultimately go your way but the odds of a good outcome are better when starting the relationship in a friendly manner than in the F U manner.
If Iphone users cared about their privacy
Any MOBILE user who cared about privacy would buy an iPhone
Because then the Apple sandbox mostly protects you (fully after the next iOS update which adds permission around the address book).
With Android any old thing that comes down the pike can rape you, privacy wise, and drain your battery for extra good measure to send off your treasured data.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Congress has noticed you exist. Lose one turn.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Where does it say in the constitution that congress is responsible for being a consumer or even privacy watchdog? Isn't that the responsibility of the FTC Bereau of Consumer Protection, CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), the newly created Department of Consumer Protection or the CPSC (Consumer Protection Safety Commission)? See below for links.. these are separate organizations of government.
I think the congressional hearings are far, far too used. I watch as ignorant senators call up Goldman Sachs or Toyota and grill them on practices and safety. Meanwhile, they can't pass a budget for the bloated, ignorant government to run on. Senators act like royalty, yet they're the ones trading on insider information and often the ones who caused the problem with restrictive laws or regulations in the first place.
The gut instinct of all of us, when we see an article like this,l is to say, "My privacy is important!" and to be a little thankful for the government to be the oversight when we feel powerless, *yet* its the government who is tapping out phones, e-mails and electronic communication illegally. Am I the only one who recognizes how bad things have become??!
-- Ragetech
Links:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/consumer.shtm - FTC
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/ - CFPB
http://www.ct.gov/DCP/site/default.asp - Department of Consumer Protection
http://www.cpsc.gov/ - CPSC
As soon as Congress balances the budget and brings the troops home, then we'll talk about micro-managing mobile app developers.
Would all these criticisms disappear if the request had come from the Federal Trade Commission? Somehow I suspect that the government-hating contingent on Slashdot would make the same arguments about any requests by a Federal agency.
I don't trust app developers or anyone else whose profits derive from using my personal information. That's why I don't have accounts on Facebook or Twitter.
The Apple sandbox that can be defeated by a fucking web page rooting the device.
No thanks. (And I do in fact own an iPhone by the way, and I do happen to like it. I'm simply not deluded into thinking it magically protects me from those "evil nasties" that Android has).
For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
Actually, Windows Phone has permissioning much like Android. You need permission to access the internet, the camera, the address book, location services. It's really not as bad as you Anti-"M$" fanbois like to claim.
For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".