‘We design Apple products to protect your privacy and give you control over your information. It’s not always easy. But that’s the kind of innovation we believe in.’
-Apple Inc.
Introduction
On 6th October 2021, Apple Inc. announced its updates to the App Store Review Guideline 5.1.1. The company explicitly stated the change in its policies regarding user’s security when it comes to account creation, management and deletion. It believes that all users should have complete control over the data they provide to different applications. They should be aware of the complete process regarding data collection, storage, utilization (if any), processing (if any) and how to withdraw access to said data.
Of course, a lot of applications collect large pieces of data and usually use it to better the consumer experiences but from now on, all new app submissions will have to ensure more transparency in this process. Starting 31st January 2022, privacy information will be clearly and accurately stated on the app’s product page; this applies to all records maintained by the respective companies.
Deleting an Account from the App Store
Users have always been able to cancel subscriptions from apps from the app store itself and to uninstall apps from their home page but there is no guarantee of the data they had already submitted at the time of installation. Hence, Apple added the feature of deleting an account from the app store.
All app developers will now allow users to delete the data and account(s) created by them. This will help all users to completely uninstall a certain app with the knowledge that their private information is not being misused.
A special fact worth mentioning is that this deletion may be done from within the app. The developers are required to design the app in such a way that it is easy for users to navigate and delete their accounts in a hassle-free manner.
Other Functionalities by Apple
Other functionalities introduced by the California based company are that of ‘Report a Problem’, ‘Report a scam or fraud” and ‘Report offensive, abusive, or illegal content. Users may easily get their issues and queries resolved about any app or in-app purchases made by them. These features are also present in the app store itself. All these options will be available to the free app users also.
Apple firmly believes that the option of deleting an account from the app store gives users a lot more control over the data they want to share and store with Apple itself as well as third-party app developers. Users can even get a copy of the data or request to alter the personal data stored with Apple, in association with their Apple ID.
Privacy-by-Design
Users in the past have already been able to delete and deactivate their iCloud accounts by deleting and deactivating their apple IDs altogether. Apple keeps revising its policies and guidelines for the sake of its users. The company is working very hard to maintain the ‘privacy-by-design standard and brand image it has created over the years.
