Mobile Privacy Disclosures: Building Trust Through Transparency

The FTC has been examining the privacy implications of mobile devices since 2000, in the form of workshops, law enforcement actions, consumer education, testimony, and policy reports. On May 30, 2012, the FTC held a workshop entitled “In Short: Advertising and Privacy Disclosures in a Digital World.” The concluding panel at that workshop explored how privacy disclosures on mobile devices could be short, effective, and accessible to consumers. Based on more than a decade of work on mobile privacy issues and recent data obtained through panel discussions and comments, the Commission offers this staff report providing recommendations for best practices on mobile privacy disclosures. First, the report reviews the benefits and privacy risks of mobile technologies. Second, it discusses the FTC’s efforts to address mobile privacy, as well as its research on disclosure issues generally. It then summarizes general themes raised by panel participants. Finally, it sets forth recommendations for best practices to key commercial players involved in the mobile arena – platforms, app developers, third parties such as ad networks and analytics companies, and trade associations. The recommendations are intended to promote more effective privacy disclosures.