IOS applications to upload data drew attention congress address book, apple pledges to strengthen the restriction

At the end of 2010, a Kik Messenger called the application of less than half a month launched by millions of users. The Kik BaoFaShi growth owes much to new friends recommend mode, it will request after install will users mobile phone address book uploaded to the server, and other user address book is compared, and once found that they exist contact will automatically recommend. The user can very easily to know friends for communication.

Matching address book mode thoroughly subverting the QQ, such as MSN instant communication tools tedious and friends, easy for new application promotion process, soon became the standard model-social application of domestic and foreign Instagram chat meters and even apple their Facetime and iMessage use similar matching method.

This model is to improve the user experience, and can help developers build fast user group. But address book after all is the user private information, safety worries come then. In the platform of connivance manufacturers, many developers only, do not add the right to collect, upload address book data, and did not provide any delete choice.

Last week, Singapore iOS developers Arun Thampi hackathon in preparation for the game to find the popular social sharing application does not give any hint Path the iPhone in the address book all the information of the company all uploaded to the server. It let Thampi shocked, he then writing about the practice of doubt Path, and give detailed evidence.

Thampi article became a fuse, the New York times, the Los Angeles times, and so the public media reports about this and further mining. This round of turmoil have been implicated in the Hipster and Foursquare, Instagram and Twitter, etc. Which Twitter users manually though need enable looking for friends function, but after uploading data in the address book will server that stores 18 months.

Path CEO Dave Morin soon in the official blog public apology, and to submit application Path, now only obtain users Path by scanning the address book. Most expose privacy issues of application also launched their new fixed privacy issues.

But expect business company self-discipline obviously impractical, as the New York times points out, zack's Facebook privacy problem has already has not apologize ten times. Only apple, Google, Microsoft these intelligent equipment platform owners can constraint developers.

Apple in silence after a week on the matter to respond. The company spokesman Tom Neumayr AllThingsD said today:

"Without the user's permission to collect or transmission clear user address book the application of data a breach of our policy. We are trying to make things better for users. The future software update, all hope that the application of data access contacts to obtain a user express authorization."

Apple should is going to through the system software updates for iOS devices address book data with the position and delivery information also strict authorized management mode.

In apple comment soon after, the house of representatives has energy and commerce committee chairman Henry Waxman and commercial manufacture and trade group committee chairman G.K. Butterfield joint written apple CEO Tim Cook, requirements in this month before 29 iOS applications of privacy nine questions to answer. These include apple to applications access, transmission users privacy data judgment; How much the United States the iOS applications store iTunes users personal data transmission; Why doesn't apple for address book data provide and position data as strict management mechanism and so on.

Now it looks, iOS address book data should be tightened up to apple storm control and end. Then other platform? Android platform in the installation of application permissions will give call tips. But these same color, not enough permissions eye-catching. Perhaps Google can contact data, position and other important information privacy and more eye-catching label, cause ordinary users note. Of course, better solution is to like CyanogenMod that allows users to manage direct each application can access permissions.