Apple: App developers committed to stricter data protection
Apple has begun to reject apps from its App Store that access the unique identifier (UDID) of mobile devices.
This is reported by the technology blog Techcrunch. The identification numbers can be used to uniquely identify cell phones or tablet computers with a mobile connection. To date, numerous apps have accessed the UDID in order to collect information about users and place customized advertising, for example.
Around six months ago, Apple informed app developers that a change in UDID usage was imminent. Now, however, the company is getting serious for the first time and has rejected the first apps that use this access. Applications from several developers were therefore rejected last week, reports the blog.
Unlike cookies, which many internet sites use to analyze the surfing behavior of their users, the UDID on a smartphone or tablet cannot be deleted. In recent weeks, access to the UDID and the use of this data has increasingly come under fire from data protectionists in the USA, who see it as an invasion of privacy. Many app users also use the UDID for copy protection, for example to ensure that magazine subscriptions can only be used on a specific device.
It remains to be seen what app developers could use as an alternative to the UDID to obtain user data and offer their services. (SDA/DPA)
