The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), the leading global trade association for the mobile industry, announced the release of their MMA Mobile Application Privacy Policy

, the first guideline document of its kind that addresses the core privacy issues and data processes of many mobile applications, for public comment.

 

“These new privacy policy guidelines fill an urgent need for all companies doing business in the mobile marketing industry. The guidelines are intended to give the mobile application developers clear and transparent policy language that can be quickly and completely understood by consumers,” said MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart. “Today’s release is the first in a series of privacy policy guidelines that the MMA will create with the input of industry leaders across the mobile ecosystem.”

The guidelines address key issues including:

  • Annotated guidance on core privacy principles and consumer-friendly language for developers to consider using.
  • Ways to inform users on how data is obtained and used.
  • Guidance on security and confidentiality of information.

Privacy policies are an important consumer disclosure tool for app developers and are not meant to be a one-size-fits-all document but should be customized to fit the needs of each company and each jurisdiction. The MMA urges app developers to consult with their legal counsel when adapting these guidelines for their purposes.


“Having a privacy policy is a good first step, compliance and supporting processes are also very important,” said Alan Chapell, Co-chair of the MMA Privacy & Advocacy Committee. “With more than 58% of US mobile users worried that their data can be easily accessed by others, a privacy policy that helps to establish and maintain consumer trust is absolutely essential.”

The MMA Mobile Application Privacy Policy was created by the MMA Privacy & Advocacy Committee in response to the massive upsurge in mobile app popularity among smartphone users and mobile marketers. There are now billions of apps downloaded per year; as of June 2011, over 425,000 individual apps were available via the Apple App Store and more than 200,000 were available for Android devices.

Members of the mobile marketing industry (marketers, app developers, media companies, advertising agencies, technology enablers and other) are encouraged to read the proposed guidelines and submit comments on the MMA website http://www.mmaglobal.com/MMA_Mobile_Application_Privacy_Policy_18Oct2011.pdf.

After the comment period closes on Friday, November 18, 2011, feedback will be reviewed and the privacy policy guidelines will be finalized and released.