Almost all of the millions Android users uses free apps in Google Play Store. Now, a news report claims that many of these free Android apps sharing users' information. At Carnagie Mellon University, a study completed and found that half of the surveyed 18,000 free Android apps in Google Play Store do not have a privacy policy. Also, many of the free apps that do have such a policy are not being truthful with how personal information is collected and disseminated.
As for example, 41 percent of the apps in Google Play Store did not mention that they do gather identifiable data in their privacy policy. Also, 17 percent failed to note that this information is shared.
Mobile apps are required to have privacy policies in place by federal laws in most states, especially if personal identifiable information is being collected. The mobile apps are violating the written guidelines posted by Google for the Google Play Store when they need these types of information, but fail to have a policy in place.
Phone Arena cited Carnagie Mellon University saying that the stats mentioned as proof that there are some irregularities on Android app developers might not be as widespread as it is said by the University. As it turns out, the automated system that the survey employs might not pick up data that would refute the charge that a certain app in Google Play Store is sharing information without a posted policy.
Norman Sadeh, professor of computer in CMU, says, "Just because the automated system finds a possible privacy requirement inconsistency in a particular app does not mean that a problem really exists." Although it would be time consuming, checking irregularities by hand would result in a more accurate look at the issue in Google Play Store apps.
Some of the problem comes from developers who are having a lack of knowledge about what is required. Professor Sadehsaid that whenever you are using Google Maps, you are effectively sharing personal information with Google Play Store.
