Federal government takes on mobile security for the masses
Mobile security has become such a big issue in the U.S. that the federal government has become more involved in the matter. Earlier in January, the Application Privacy, Protection, and Security Act (APPS) was introduced. The legislation is designed to help protect the personal information of consumers and keep this information from being exploited by advertisers or malicious parties. APPS could have a major impact on application developers as it would force them to be more conscious about the issue of mobile security.
APPS legislation will give consumers more control over their information
According to APPS, application developers will be required to be more transparent in their “consented terms and conditions, reasonable security of collected data, and users with control to cease data collection by opting out of the service or deleting the user’s personal data to the greatest extent possible.” The legislation will, essentially, provide consumers with ways to be proactive concerning their own mobile security.
Legislation could have an impact on app developers
The APPS legislation has been made available for public discussion. Opinion concerning the legislation will be used to make the bill more comprehensive, if need be. While information collected from the general public could affect some of the provisions of the law, APPS will likely still provide consumers with control over their personal information and how it is used or collected by a mobile application.
APPS legislation may put mobile security into the hands of the consumer
Applications like mobile games typically collect a user’s information for marketing purposes. This information is regularly shared with advertisers and other interested parties. Some developers take steps to ensure that this information is passed through secure channels, but there is little more that can be done than informing consumers that their information is actually being collected. The APPS legislation is meant to provide consumers with an avenue to keep their information protected, effectively giving them control over mobile security.
