If there’s anything that genuinely antagonizes consumers, it’s breaches of privacy, resulting in data being accessed without due consent.
In iOS, if a third-party app requires authorization to access your location data with the intent of enhancing user experience, you’re met with a popup window, and have the option to allow access, or simply block the app from knowing of your whereabouts.
Unfortunately, location isn’t the only information available to those seeking to snatch it, and the revelation last week that an app named path was sneaking contact data from iOS users without asking first caused something of an outcry.
Apple has come out and given consumers some respite from the rather panicked situation by assuring an iOS update will stop any such occurrences from happening in future. talking to AllThingsD’s John Paczkowski, Cupertuno spokesman Tom Neumayr said:
Apps that collect or transmit a user’s contact data without their prior authorization are in violation of our guidelines. We’re working to make this even better for our customers, and as we have made with location services, any app wishing to access contact data will require explicit user approval in a future software release.
Of course, one has to wonder how soon this update will occur. After all, the iphone 4S battery issue was identified months ago, yet still some users are waiting on the next update for the antidote. then again, you’d hope – given the magnitude of the situation – the fruit company’s safety team will deliver on its pledge sooner rather than later.
There are other crucial areas which must also be taken into consideration by Apple in terms of private information. After all, the cam Roll and photo library can easily be accessed by rogue apps, and the fact neither require explicit consent indicates your personal images could quite easily be seen by others – a scary through indeed.
It’s good to see Apple proposing to do the ideal thing – we just hope the action is swift. With its app store having grown at light speed, the legislation needs to be in place to secure those using it.
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