
California attorney general sends privacy warnings to app makers - susanhi
http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/264943-california-warns-mobile-app-companies-of-privacy-violations
======
dmk23
We can always count on California government officials to intrude on
technologies they know nothing about.

This is nothing more than a quest for cheap publicity and endorsement of
various pressure groups, which promote the self-interests of their funders and
staffers under the guise of the "public interest". What they really want is
regulation that would let them profit from shakedown lawsuits.

These sorts of assaults on product development freedom need to be nipped in
the bud.

~~~
DaveMebs
Really? What technology is being misunderstood here? As far as I can tell, the
AG is mandating that mobile apps include privacy policies detailing how they
gather and collect user information. Given the large number of stories about
apps sending user data to 3rd parties or using it for things other than a user
may expect/desire that have come out over the past few years, this doesn't
seem particularly unreasonable. Now, you may disagree that mobile app
developers should be required to post these policies, but I don't see how such
a position reflects a misunderstanding of the technologies at play.

I'm also hard pressed to imagine how this is an "assault on product
development freedom." If you don't gather any data, it's not too tough to
state somewhere "hey, just wanted to let you know that this app respects your
privacy and does not collect any usage data or personal information." If your
app does gather data, I think it's pretty reasonable to ask for a basic
privacy policy to be posted. I, for one, would prefer that mobile apps that
send PII be required to explain what and why.

Overall this looks like a reasonable extension of existing laws to include new
technologies that have come to prominence in the last few years. Do you think
the existing law requiring online services to post privacy policies is an
assault on product development freedom? Or is it only because they are
extending this to mobile that you are losing your freedom to create software
products?

~~~
TheGateKeeper
It's only an assault on those individuals and organizations that want to
infringe on users privacy. I see absolutely nothing wrong with keeping the
general public informed (mandatory) from predatory actions.

------
rsingla
Hey, look! Someone holding people responsible for their actions/products! Now
how controversial is that?!

