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NTIA stakeholders’ code on mobile app transparency: Statement by Consumers Union

This voluntary code could help provide greater transparency about the information that companies collect about mobile app users

Friday, July 26, 2013

NTIA Stakeholders’ Code on Mobile App Transparency: Statement by Consumers Union

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)-convened privacy multistakeholder group agreed on a draft code of conduct regarding mobile application transparency yesterday.  After stakeholders’ consumer testing, the code could eventually produce a short-form disclosure of the types of information to be collected about app users and how their information would be shared with other parties.

Consumers Union, the nonprofit policy and advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, said the outcome is the result of a long and difficult negotiation among consumer advocates, privacy groups, online publishers, app developers, advertising networks, online platform operators, and other stakeholders.

Delara Derakhshani, policy counsel for Consumers Union, said, “This voluntary code could move the ball forward for consumers.  It could help provide greater transparency about the information that companies collect about mobile app users, and how that information is shared with other entities.  But consumers still need a comprehensive answer to privacy concerns.  This process took more than a year to get to this point, and it’s only one piece of the puzzle.  We urge the Administration and Congress to move forward on privacy legislation that would provide consumers greater choice and control over their personal information.”

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Media contact: David Butler, dbutler@consumer.org202-462-6262