Kids' Apps Cause Privacy Concerns for FTC

A study conducted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has found that kids' apps siphon an 'alarming' amount of data from mobile devices without disclosing this to parents. Separately, the FTC has been asked to investigate a Nickelodeon app which collects kids' personal data.

The Commission's second survey of children's mobile apps found that little progress had been made in the past year with regard to giving parents the information they need to determine what data is being collected from their children, how it is being shared, and who will have access to it.

Many of the apps surveyed were found to include interactive features, such as connecting to social media or in-app advertising, and sent information from the mobile device to ad networks, analytics companies and other third parties without disclosing these practices to parents. In addition, the results showed that many of the apps shared certain information with third parties - such as device ID, geolocation or phone number - without first informing parents.

FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz described the amount of data siphoned from kids' apps as 'alarming', adding: 'All of the companies in the mobile app space, especially the gatekeepers of the app stores, need to do a better job. We'll do another survey in the future and we will expect to see improvement.'

The report urges the mobile app industry to accelerate efforts to ensure that parents have the information they need to make decisions about the apps they download for their children. Additionally, the FTC is launching investigations to determine whether certain entities in the mobile app marketplace are violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which prohibits operators of web sites from collecting data from children under the age of 13 without first obtaining parental consent.

Separately, privacy group the Center for Digital Demogracy (CDD) has also filed a complaint with the FTC about an app featuring Nickelodeon's SpongeBob character which it claims collects personal data from young children. According to the filing the 'SpongeBob Diner Dash' iPhone and iPad app allegedly collects users' names, e-mail addresses and other online contact information, without obtaining parental consent.

CDD has asked the FTC to consider whether the app is violating COPPA, and while the claims are under investigation, Nickelodeon has pulled the app from the App Store.

Web site: www.ftc.gov .