Survey on App Privacy Policies Finds Increased Implementation, Overall

Survey finds that only 61.3% of apps have privacy policies, reflecting perceived need for increased app privacy regulations.

By Alice Cheng

A recent survey conducted by the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) examined whether popular free and paid mobile apps provided users with access to a privacy policy visit this website. The survey found that 61.3% of the 150 apps examined had a privacy policy, while more free apps than paid apps had privacy policies. While the numbers of apps with privacy policies are still low, these findings mark an overall increase from the previous year.

The FPF credits the consumer privacy efforts of various groups, including the Federal Trade Commission and the California Attorney General. The FTC has made continuous efforts to develop companies develop best consumer privacy practices, and has been involved in battling privacy violations. In February, California Attorney General Kamala Harris persuaded six major companies with mobile platforms (including Apple, Microsoft, and Google) to ensure that app developers include privacy policies that comply with the California Online Privacy Protection Act. More recently, Harris also announced the formation of the Privacy Enforcement and Protection Unit to oversee privacy issues and to ensure that companies are in compliance with the state’s privacy laws.

Together with the FPF survey results, these recent strides reflect a growing nationwide concern for information privacy. However, mere access to privacy policies does not ensure that consumers are aware of what happens to information collected about them. Many policies are long and onerous, and can be confusing for consumers. As many privacy laws focus on protecting the consumer’s privacy interests, providing a clear privacy policy is oftentimes a best practice for all companies