WhatsApp Protests Apple's App Store Privacy Requirements

Or, and this is radical, so hear me out — you can just ignore the targeted ads that happen as a result of data collection, and we can just move on from these silly corporate pissing matches over data.
 
dogslobber said:
Apple wants to be judge and jury here but it has a conflict of interest. The App Store needs to be separated from Apple as a separate business. But if these silly label buckets are the mechanism to show the data then all apps (esp. FB spyware and Apple apps) must publish this data.
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Not far enough. I want Apple to be executioner as well.
 
Moonjumper said:
All Apple need to do is publish the privacy labels for their own apps. Which they should be doing as they require it of others. I wouldn't be surprised to see that happen when it all goes live.
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They could, but they basically already have done that (minus the App Store label) via the privacy policy and Settings in iOS. App Store labels might give the appearance of equivalency though.

If FB etc would let you opt out in iOS Settings like you can for Apple apps (yes I know that it isn’t perfect), there would be less of a need for the App Store labels and the upcoming ATT options.
 
I think if you don’t trust Apple, using their OS is a much bigger concern than any individual app(!). So it’s not really a valid comparison to me. Apple have a more privileged position in access to our data out of necessity. But sure, it’d be good if Apple could state what their apps are doing too if it makes everyone feel better about it.
 
Porco said:
I think if you don’t trust Apple, using their OS is a much bigger concern than any individual app(!). So it’s not really a valid comparison to me. Apple have a more privileged position in access to our data out of necessity. But sure, it’d be good if Apple could state what their apps are doing too if it makes everyone feel better about it.
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The issue is not about trust - it's about having a fair comparison.

Netflix has to show you a privacy label, Apple TV doesn't.
Zoom has to show you a privacy label, FaceTime doesn't.
Spotify has to show you a privacy label, Apple Music doesn't.
WhatsApp has to show you a privacy label, iMessage doesn't.

There are going to be people that see these labels and get put off, but then go straight to an Apple app that collects similar information (or more) without showing a privacy label.

Apple having a robust privacy policy in place doesn't negate this as a problem - all companies have to have privacy policies to comply with the law. If Apple thinks privacy policies are insufficient for third parties, they really ought to treat their own apps the same way.
 
Haven' they read the App Store Privacy Policy?
If you don't collect data, you don't need to disclose anything. Yet, Apple does provide a privacy disclosure when you setup your device. All the apps that make the device work out of the box are 'protected' by this 'umbrella'.
Apple just can't remove Messages from iOS, because it's required for the proper functionality of the Phone; no Messages would mean you can't send/receive SMS messages either.

What is WhatsApp hiding that doesn't want to disclose it? Are they afraid of transparency? Most likely!
They better solve this or have their Developer Account suspended.
 
chucker23n1 said:
For example, iMessage never asks you to upload all your contacts. I don't know if WhatsApp still does, but for a long time, it did.
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They still do. And if you deny permission it asks again now and then. It’s really annoying.

Same goes for access to photos, camera and microphone. It’s really annoying.

The day WhatsApp fades away will be a great day.

And before anyone comments “don’t use it”, that’s exactly what I’ve been doing until September, unfortunately WhatsApp is now required by my university!
 
This new policy of Apple’s seems great to me. I don’t want any company harvesting data from my usage of their product. I’ll gladly pay a fair amount to use the product if the product has value to me. That should be an option for any software: The user gets use of the product, and the seller gets an agreed-upon usage fee. Same way my electricity works.
 
It's going to be interesting to see what is being collected by which apps. Also interesting will be which companies object most to coming clean about what they collect. One can only expect the worst when the likes of Facebook are already campaigning against the idea of informed users
 
Oh god, here we go again:
MacRumors said:
"Apple's template does not shed light on the lengths apps may go to protect sensitive information."
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And honestly we don’t care, the main issue here is whether or not sensitive information is being collected and with that statement above it means “yes we do, but not to worry, we protect it!”

A message app, that sends a text from user A to user B, what “sensitive information” does it really need to work? Genuinely curious, maybe the algorithm, encryption keys, etc takes some of that into account.
 
Hey, Suckerberg.
How about you just disclose your SSN and have a live stream camera in your house share on the internet?
 
I think "protesting the labels" is a mischaracterization of WhatsApp's message, if you read the article – the only real point they make is that Apple should provide information in the same format with respect to its own apps. No problem with considering that point.

Meanwhile, who knows WhatsApp's motivation for even making it. Of course their aim is usership and Facebook's business still rests largely on the exchange of users' data.
 
Daveoc64 said:
The issue is not about trust - it's about having a fair comparison.

Netflix has to show you a privacy label, Apple TV doesn't.
Zoom has to show you a privacy label, FaceTime doesn't.
Spotify has to show you a privacy label, Apple Music doesn't.
WhatsApp has to show you a privacy label, iMessage doesn't.

There are going to be people that see these labels and get put off, but then go straight to an Apple app that collects similar information (or more) without showing a privacy label.

Apple having a robust privacy policy in place doesn't negate this as a problem - all companies have to have privacy policies to comply with the law. If Apple thinks privacy policies are insufficient for third parties, they really ought to treat their own apps the same way.
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Didn't you agree to the blanket privacy policy when you set uop your device initially ?
 
The App Store labels are just a short, clean, clear, privacy disclosure which is usually buried in pages of legalese and difficult to find app settings. The App Store labels are not doing anything that isn’t already being done by FB, Google, and many others.

Aside from the obvious FB and Google, there are a lot of developers that get paid to include third party libraries in their apps, and they either don’t know or don’t care what they do. A clue might be if the third party is ‘PersonalNFO4Sale’.

And FB and Google will protect your data - except from themselves and anyone else that wants to buy it.
 
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