FTC Privacy Policy: FTC Says Apple, Google Not Protecting Privacy in Kids Apps

FTC Privacy Policy: As technology continues to advance, it is more important than ever for companies, such as Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG), to do their part in protecting the privacy of all users – especially children.

On Monday, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission published a report stating that app stores, such as those operated by Apple and Google, must begin to take greater responsibility in regards to protecting privacy in kids apps. The report concludes that there is not enough information available to parents concerning the collection of information and data via apps for children.

To take a closer look at the FTC report in its entirety, visit this PDF link. Although the report is 42 pages long, the introduction sets things up nicely:

“In February 2012, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) staff issued a report on a survey of mobile “apps” offered for children in Apple’s App Store and Google’s Android Market, the two largest U.S. app stores. The report, Mobile Apps for Kids: Current Privacy Disclosures are Disappointing, found that little or no information was available to parents about the privacy practices and interactive features of the mobile apps surveyed prior to download. As a result, the report called on all members of the kids’ app ecosystem – app stores, developers, and third parties that interact with the apps – to provide greater transparency about the data practices and interactive features of apps geared to children. The report stated that FTC staff would conduct a follow-up survey in six months to evaluate whether and how industry had addressed the concerns raised.