Apple has always taken user privacy more seriously than its competitors, and that doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon.

9to5Mac reports that iOS app developers have recently been told by Apple that all of their apps and app updates must include a link to a privacy policy. Apple will not enforce this rule retroactively, but apps and app updates released after October 3 will be forced to comply.

To be clear, Apple has always required certain apps to have clear links to their developers' privacy policy, but that only ever applied to subscription-based apps.

2018-08-31-image-10.jpg

Soon, though, the inclusion of privacy policy links will be mandatory for all developers, regardless of what category their apps might fall under.

Apple will also require developers to be transparent about their business practices in their privacy policies. App creators will have to explain how user data is collected, what data is collected, and how said data will be used in the future.

This is certainly good news for privacy-minded users, but it's not entirely clear what Apple is hoping to achieve. More transparency is always a good thing, but not many users read privacy policies, to begin with, and it's doubtful that Apple's new requirements will change that.

 

source