You can’t trust tech companies’ word that the privacy controls they say they’re implementing will protect you and your children.
A Wall Street Journal study of 80 apps in Apple’s App Store shows that most apps, including ones selected and featured by Apple editors, are tracking you in ways you would not expect, and cannot avoid.
The Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern found apps that track kids, including *her* kid, and send their data to companies including Facebook and Google.
Uhhh, Curious George? You got a little too curious this time.
There’s a kids’ iOS app called Curious World that, not surprisingly, stars the cute little pants-less monkey. Turns out, the app was collecting my son’s age, name and every book he tapped, and sending that data to Facebook Inc.
The company’s response? Whoopsies!
Apple is reported to be planning to limit third-party tracking in kids’ apps beginning next week.
The company hasn’t announced the change, but an unnamed source who knows told the WSJ it’s happening:
In fact, Apple will limit third-party tracking in apps in the Kids category of the App Store, according to a person familiar with the matter. Apple declined to comment on this, but a spokeswoman provided a statement:
“For privacy and security reasons, Apple does not see what data users choose to share with developers and we can’t see what developers do on their servers.”
More: iPhone Privacy Is Broken…and Apps Are to Blame
You know those “Apps We Love” in the App Store? They’re littered with trackers sending your info to tons of third-parties. My column based on weeks of testing over 80 iOS apps with @marksecadahttps://t.co/8ua2pdTI4b
— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) May 31, 2019
One of those apps was a children’s app that was sending my son’s name and age to Facebook.
— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) May 31, 2019
The company is fixing its code and according to my sources Apple is going to limit third-party tracking in Kids apps starting next week. More info in my column: https://t.co/8ua2pdTI4b
— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) May 31, 2019
You know what? Our privacy isn’t LIKE a game of Whac-A-Mole, IT IS a game of Whac-A-Mole.
My video on why privacy settings and controls are a game we’ll never win: https://t.co/8ua2pdTI4b pic.twitter.com/YvW51UQMEr
— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) May 31, 2019
[IMAGE: Shutterstock]