Apple Asks Third-Party Developers to Detail Their App's Privacy Information Under New Labels on App Store

Apple will likely introduce new labels on the App Store next month to help users understand privacy practices before they download an app on from the platform. The new privacy labels will be available on the App Store across all platforms such as iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. The company adds that app developers will be required to submit the privacy-related information for the labels starting December 8. Third-party developers can even begin providing these details starting today via App Store Connect, the company adds.

As per details available on the Apple Developers website, the labels will be divided into three categories of “data used to track you,” “data linked to you,” and “data not limited to you.” Each category will display information such as location, financial info, contact info, browsing history, and more that are accessed by the particular third-party app. The labels will be displayed akin to the nutrition chart found at the back of packaged food items. Other information such as the size of the app, developers name, and so will continue to display in a separate section. Additionally, Apple has cautioned developers to provide accurate and up to date privacy-related details to ensure users are aware of the data accessed by app. “If your practices change, update your responses in App Store Connect. You may update your answers at any time, and you do not need to submit an app update in order to change your answers,” the company on the developer’s website said.

Apple debuted a collection of privacy-oriented features when it announced iOS 14, but the company’s label concept did not arrive with the launch of the new operating system in September. Apple had teased the arrival of the so-called privacy ‘nutrition labels’ during this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). The company has added that some data types that meet all Apple’s other guidelines, are optional to disclose. Meanwhile, the new iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 already offer a bunch of privacy-oriented features like more control over media files and location sharing that apps generally use to function.

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