Scoop: WhatsApp goes after Apple over privacy label requirements

Sara Fischer, author of Media Trends

https://www.axios.com/whatsapp-apple-privacy-label-requirements-cc0d5edd-ab2f-4549-b9d7-ea3c97184056.html

Facebook's global messaging service WhatsApp is protesting Apple's requirement 
that app owners submit information about the user data they collect for use in 
new privacy labels coming to Apple's app store.

The state of play: WhatsApp says that the provision is anti-competitive because 
Apple's own encrypted messaging service, iMessage, is preinstalled on iPhones 
and doesn't need to be downloaded from Apple's app store, where the privacy 
labels are now required.

        • "We think labels should be consistent across first and third party 
apps as well as reflect the strong measures apps may take to protect people’s 
private information," a WhatsApp spokesperson told Axios.
        • “While providing people with easy to read information is a good 
start, we believe it’s important people can compare these 'privacy nutrition' 
labels from apps they download with apps that come pre-installed, like 
iMessage."
Catch up quick: Apple first announced at its worldwide developer conference in 
June that by January 2021,, the tech giant would require app developers to 
submit information detailing exactly what types of data they collect on users.

        • Because so many apps pull such different types of user data, Apple 
has tried to streamline what the labels will look like by using broad-base 
terms like "financial information" and "user content" to describe data 
collection broadly.
        • WhatsApp's view is that the terms may spook users about what data 
WhatsApp actually collects, giving it a competitive disadvantage to iMessage.
Details: WhatsApp submitted the required information to Apple on Monday. In a 
blog post detailing the issue, the company clarified what type of information 
it does collect versus how it will be portrayed per Apple's new label.

        • "Our teams have submitted our privacy labels to Apple but Apple's 
template does not shed light on the lengths apps may go to protect sensitive 
information," a WhatsApp spokesperson said. "While WhatsApp cannot see people’s 
messages or precise location, we're stuck using the same broad labels with apps 
that do."
The big picture: The privacy "nutrition labels" are part of a greater privacy 
push by Apple following its latest iOS 14 system update in September. Some of 
the updates have drawn criticism from Facebook and other app publishers, like 
gaming developers.

        • In August, Facebook warned advertisers that they could expect weaker 
ad performance from iPhone users once iOS 14 rolled out due to changes it 
planned to make to its Identifier for Advertisers service, which makes it 
easier for Facebook advertisers to target users on its apps for downloads.
        • Apple later said it would delay the rollout of the IDFA changes until 
next year.

What's next: Apple required all app developers to submit the privacy 
information by Tuesday. It's unclear when the nutrition labels will begin 
appearing in Apple's app store.
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