Pixalate Insights on GDPR Compliance Risks in App Store
Pixalate’s Analysis of GDPR Risks Associated with Apple App Store
Pixalate, the global leader in ad fraud protection, privacy, and compliance analytics, recently released a report analyzing potential GDPR violation risks within the Apple App Store. This report offers a critical evaluation of how both the App Store and app developers may be infringing upon GDPR Articles 5, 12, 13, and 24.
Understanding GDPR Violation Risks
The report discusses how Apple functions as a “Data Controller” in the GDPR framework. Under Article 4(7), Apple appears to share users’ device identifiers with numerous apps that lack appropriate privacy policies. Specifically, 1,384 apps hosted on the Apple App Store have been identified as engaging in practices that may lead to the unauthorized processing of personal data.
Data IP Addresses and Device Identifiers
Through this investigation, Pixalate's data science team analyzed over 32,000 apps hosted on the Apple App Store accessible within the EU and UK. This analysis highlighted significant issues, revealing that over 380,000 users' personal data was shared during the ad bid stream by targeted apps that did not disclose privacy policies.
Key Findings from Pixalate’s Report
The report identifies specific applications on the Apple App Store without any detected privacy policies that were sharing personal data in the ad bid stream. It outlines the following key findings:
- 380,000+ EU and UK users’ personal data was shared in the ad bid stream by apps lacking privacy policies.
- 1,384 Apple App Store-hosted apps did not have detected privacy policies during the analyzed time period.
- 842 (61%) of the targeted apps shared device identifiers in the ad bid stream.
- 330 (24%) of targeted advertising-enabled apps shared location data, IP addresses, and device identifiers.
Risks Associated with Device Identifiers
By propagating users’ identifiers (IDFAs/IDFVs) to apps without clear privacy policies, Apple may not comply with its obligations under Article 5(f) of the GDPR. This article mandates that data controllers ensure that personal data is handled with integrity and confidentiality.
Expert Commentary from Pixalate
Yusra Kayani, Pixalate’s EMEA Director of Data Protection and Privacy, expressed concern over the identified situation where apps without detected privacy policies continue to exist on the Apple App Store. Despite the potential violations of GDPR and violation of developer license agreements, action seems to be lacking in identifying and removing these problematic apps.
Prominent Apps Sharing Personal Data
The report highlights the top 10 apps on the Apple App Store that lack privacy policies and are sharing data:
- LALIGA Fantasy 23-24 - Liga Nacional de Futbol Profesional (Spain) - 79K users impacted.
- Paint the Flag - Mobsmile Yazilim Hizmetleri Limited Sirketi (United Kingdom) - 14K users impacted.
- My Monster Pet: Train & Fight - traxnet ou (Estonia) - 4K users impacted.
- Führerschein ClickClickDrive - ClickClickDrive GmbH (Germany) - 4K users impacted.
- Dingbats - Between the lines - Romain Lebouc (France) - 2K users impacted.
- Handy Craft - Voodoo (France) - 2K users impacted.
- Freecell - move all cards to the top - Brilliant Labs Limited (United Kingdom) - 1K users impacted.
- Crush the Monsters: Cannon Game - HEROCRAFT LTD (United Kingdom) - 1K users impacted.
- Closer – Actu et exclus People - Reworld Media Magazines (France) - 1K users impacted.
- Tipping Point Blast! Coin Game - Two Way Media Ltd (United Kingdom) - 1K users impacted.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the findings from Pixalate’s report reveal serious implications regarding the handling of user data on the Apple App Store. As data privacy regulations become more stringent, it is critical for companies like Apple to take action against violations to uphold user privacy and maintain compliance with GDPR requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the focus of Pixalate’s report?
Pixalate’s report focuses on identifying GDPR violation risks associated with the Apple App Store and its hosted apps.
How many apps are identified as violating GDPR?
1,384 apps were identified on the Apple App Store that do not have detected privacy policies and are potentially violating GDPR.
What kind of personal data is shared by these apps?
The apps are sharing sensitive personal data such as location data, IP addresses, and device identifiers.
What has been the response from Pixalate’s representatives?
Yusra Kayani emphasizes the concerning lack of action from Apple to remove apps that violate privacy policies and regulations.
Why is this report significant?
This report provides crucial insights into the practices of app developers and the implications for user data protection under GDPR.
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