"Apple's App 'Privacy Labels' Are Here—and They're a Big Step Forward"

Apple has launched new privacy labels for iOS and macOS App Stores to increase the transparency of apps' data collection. The labels are considered nutrition facts for apps in that they provide details to users about what data is collected and accessed by each app. The labels fall into three categories: Data Used to Track You, Data Linked to You, and Data Not Linked to You. A label consists of bullet points, with each detailing what is happening behind an app. For example, a label may reveal that the app collects location data, financial details, and contact information. The label might reveal that the app links this data to the device's ID number or other identifiers. The label may also show that the app shares information with other companies to track users across websites and services. The enforcement of these labels is expected to raise awareness among users about apps' data gathering and encourage developers into taking user privacy more seriously. However, one concern is whether developers will provide accurate information for these labels. Another concern is whether developers have a clear understanding of how their app collects and manages data. This article continues to discuss Apple's app privacy labels and the aspects that could impact the effectiveness of these labels, as well as other efforts in the development of privacy or security breakdown labels.

Wired reports "Apple's App 'Privacy Labels' Are Here—and They're a Big Step Forward"