California Mobile App Privacy

California Attorney General Kamala Harris has reached an agreement with Amazon, Apple, Google, HP, Microsoft and Research in Motion to enforce privacy protections for users of smartphone mobile apps.

The agreement makes developers conspicuously post privacy policies explaining what personal information applications will access and exactly how such data will be utilized --- before users download the app. 

It also requires app store providers to make available ways for users to report apps which are not in compliance.

Attorney General Harris said that developers who do not strictly abide by their privacy policies will face state prosecution under the California Unfair Competition Law and the California False Advertising Law.

Because the California Online Privacy Act will now be applied to mobile apps, smartphone applications that transmit users' address book entries and other personal information without their knowledge must now stop.

"This agreement strengthens the privacy protections of California consumers and of millions of people around the globe who use mobile apps," declared the attorney general.  "By ensuring that mobile apps have privacy policies, we create more transparency and give mobile users more informed control."

California Attorney General Kamala Harris will meet again with the companies in August 2012 to reassess mobile privacy.