Invasion of privacy? There's an app for that

Key Points:

Developers should take note of the privacy guidelines at all stages of the design and offering of mobile apps.

The Office of the Australian Privacy Commissioner (OAIC) has asked for comments on its draft privacy guidelines on developing mobile phone apps. The draft guidelines set out what the OAIC considers better privacy practice for app development. The due date for comments is 13May 2013. As a result, industry now has:

• a chance to comment on what is better privacy practice for mobile phone apps; and
• an insight into how OAIC will handle privacy complaints and investigations about these apps (this will be particularly important when the OAIC is given increased powers from March 2014).