mobile app transparency

If developers had any lingering doubts about the need for improved mobile app transparency, research from the Mobile Entertainment Forum proves how far the industry has to go in establishing trust around how their personal privacy is handled by apps. The MEF worked with AVG Technologies and On Device Group to conduct Global Privacy Survey 2013, which gathered responses from more than 9,500 people across 10 countries.

Let's be honest for a moment: When was the last time you, or anyone you know, took the time during the installation of a software program to read all the way through the user license agreement before clicking on the "I agree" button? And on a smartphone screen? If the answer was "recently," Joe Santilli would like to meet you.

Let's begin with some applause. The California Attorney General's office has taken the first step by issuing recommendations for developers, mobile platform providers and carriers to address potential privacy issues head-on, before they get legislation forced upon them. The document that the AG's office published,  Privacy on the Go , is less than two dozen pages and is written with surprising clarity.

If Americans have concerns about the personal information they are being asked to share, they will either uninstall a mobile app or not download it in the first place, according to an ongoing research project about online behavior.