Attorneys superior general in nine states and the District of Columbia are urging Apple this week to innovate new App Store requirements designed to safeguard tender wellness data connect to procreative care .
Ina letterto Apple CEO Tim Cook , the dozen chief police force enforcement officials accused the company of leaving clear a “ gap ” in its data point protection policies that , they state , “ threatens the privacy and refuge of App Store consumers , and runs direct foresee to Apple ’s publically expressed consignment to protect user information . ”
The official are asking Cook to follow out new rules on app developer requiring the omission of non - all important data , include the location and search histories of users “ seeking , accessing , or helping to provide generative health aid . ”
View of the Apple Store on Rosenstrasse in Munich.Photo: Frank Hoermann/Sven Simon (AP)
Additionally , the official urged Apple to demand app Divine demonstrate they ’d only reveal generative wellness data in response to a “ valid subpoena , search countenance , or court order . ” App makers should be require , the official said , to provide “ clear and blazing notices ” to consumers whenever there ’s a potential for such health data to be bring out to third parties .
“ Third - political party apps available on the App Store hoard consumers ’ private reproductive health data , which can be weaponized against consumers by law enforcement , private entity , or individuals , ” the officials said .
The alphabetic character glorify Apple customers have made their concerns about the way roving apps are handle reproductive data clear in the aftermath of Dobbs v. Jackson , the Supreme Court sheath that eliminate the constitutional right to an miscarriage after almost 50 class . And while Apple frequently touts that privacy is among its “ core value , ” the companionship has “ not done enough ” in this particular regard , the alphabetic character says .
“ consumer can not believe Apple ’s privateness promises if applications on the App Store are not required to take fighting measure to protect this sensitive wellness data , ” the officials bestow .
The letter is sign by New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin , who launch the feat to approach Cook , as well as the attorneys cosmopolitan for California , Connecticut , the District of Columbia , Illinois , Massachusetts , North Carolina , Oregon , Vermont and Washington state .
BloombergandHuffpostpreviously report on the letter of the alphabet this week .
At metre of writing , the abrogation of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision has either trip or result in land police banish most abortions in 13 states . This includes nine states where no exception are made for victims of rape or incest . ( Mississippi ’s law includes an exclusion for rape , but not incest . )
Republican legislators in eight other states have seek to pass prohibition but are being block up by tribunal at present while sound battles play out .
The criminalization of abortion has ignited new fears over the digital surveillance pattern of Department of State and local constabulary enforcement agencies , particularly in country such as Texas , where mass confront potential condemnable prosecution for help oneself miscarriage seeker locomote to other states where care is still sound .
There are also concerns in Texas that judges could rate internet companies to give up information in civil cases arising from the state ’s abortion bounty system of rules . The system in effect deputize ordinary citizen to sue anyone imply in perform an abortion . Vigilante claimants stand to collect cash payments of $ 10,000 in each font gain .
Of equal care is law of nature enforcement government agency potentially circumvent the courts altogether and using a Fourth Amendment loophole to buy positioning data point . While the Supreme Court has held that it ’s unconstitutional for police to obligate access to location data without a warrant , the U.S. Justice Department and other innumerous delegacy have determined buy it alternatively is legal .
DoS and local police agenciesare already knownto leverage software system that uses mobile app data to track mass ’s movement . Such tool have the potency to be used to dog activity around cleaning woman ’s wellness clinic or to help prosecutors surface evidence against anyone move around out of state for a process .
In their varsity letter to Apple , the nine attorneys general also highlighted specific concerns around period trackers , pregnancy and prolificacy apps , and health and seaworthiness wearable devices . cite arecent surveyby the nonprofit Mozilla Foundation , the functionary noted that many apps failed to meet minimum security standards , and that some even miss “ basic privacy insurance policy , have alone policy that addressed the use of raw data . ”
“ We acknowledge Apple ’s commitment to privacy and security across its intersection , as evidenced by its use of encryption to protect user health data as well as its transparency into police enforcement asking for user information , ” the official enjoin . “ But that alone is insufficient if third - party apps on the App Store fail to respect and adhere to Apple ’s secrecy ethos . ”
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