The feedback is coming hard and heavy in response to the FTC’s recently published report on Mobile Privacy And Enforcement Action.
IP Lasso – a startup that tracks and monitors apps across various social networks and app stores – has issued a much talked-about statement in response to last week’s report from the Federal Trade Commission.
As MMW covered in detail at the time of the announcement, FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz announced new recommendations to Apple, Google and other app stores as well as to app developers in regards to mobile privacy for consumers.
The recommendations followed the FTC’s decision to charge Path an $800,000 fine for improperly collecting personal user information.
IP Lasso’s CEO Reginald Pierce has just issued a formal statement in response to the FTC and its efforts.
“Today’s enforcement from the FTC on mobile privacy is the first major step from a government entity to address neglectful and malicious practices that compromise consumer privacy in the mobile app world. Now, the responsibility to honor these recommendations falls on the entire technology industry, from App Stores to developers and solution providers like IP Lasso. However, the FTC seems to be targeting high-profile companies like Path Social, who create legitimate apps, and are likely willing recognize and enforce The Commission’s latest mobile privacy recommendation. We are concerned that there are thousands of illegitimate apps with millions of installs that infringe on brand names, copyrighted materials and trademarks with the intent to lure and deceive consumers. Our services not only monitor apps from high-profile names like Path Social, but we also examine apps operating on the fringes who may fail to honor FTC’s recommendations thus tarnishing or hijacking brand names — and putting consumer privacy at risk.”
Do you believe the FTC’s aims go too far… or not far enough, based on the diverse reactions observed over the last few days across the mobile industry? Please weigh in with a thought or comment below.