Six of the world's top consumer technology firms have agreed to provide greater privacy disclosures before users download applications in order to protect the personal data of millions of consumers, California's attorney general said on Wednesday.
The agreement binds Amazon,Apple,Google,Microsoft,Research In Motion, and Hewlett-Packard--and developers on their platforms--to disclose how they use private data before an app may be downloaded, Attorney General Kamala D.Harris said.
Currently 22 of the 30 most downloaded apps do not have privacy notices, said Harris. Some downloaded apps also download a consumer's contact book.
Google said in a statement that under the California agreement,Android users will have"even more ways to make informed decisions when it comes t their privacy."
Apple confirmed the agreement but did not elaborate.
Harris was also among U.S. state lawmakers who on Wednesday signed a letter to google CEO Larry Page to express "serious concerns" over the web giant's recent decision to consolidate its privacy policy.
The policy change would give Google access to user information across its products, such as GMail and Google Plus, without the proper ability for consumers to opt out, said the 36 U.s. attorneys general in their letter.
EU authorities have asked Google to that the policy change until regulators can investigate the matter.
California's 2004 online privacy protection Act requires privacy disclosures,but Harris said few mobile developers had paid attention to the law in recent years because of confusion over whether it applied to mobile apps.
The agreement binds Amazon,Apple,Google,Microsoft,Research In Motion, and Hewlett-Packard--and developers on their platforms--to disclose how they use private data before an app may be downloaded, Attorney General Kamala D.Harris said.
Currently 22 of the 30 most downloaded apps do not have privacy notices, said Harris. Some downloaded apps also download a consumer's contact book.
Google said in a statement that under the California agreement,Android users will have"even more ways to make informed decisions when it comes t their privacy."
Apple confirmed the agreement but did not elaborate.
Harris was also among U.S. state lawmakers who on Wednesday signed a letter to google CEO Larry Page to express "serious concerns" over the web giant's recent decision to consolidate its privacy policy.
The policy change would give Google access to user information across its products, such as GMail and Google Plus, without the proper ability for consumers to opt out, said the 36 U.s. attorneys general in their letter.
EU authorities have asked Google to that the policy change until regulators can investigate the matter.
California's 2004 online privacy protection Act requires privacy disclosures,but Harris said few mobile developers had paid attention to the law in recent years because of confusion over whether it applied to mobile apps.
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