Week 14: Research on App Privacy Policy + Implementation

Tutorial Notes

In this tutorial with Lizzie, I voice out my concern about user privacy. As I will involve user's data to be stored in a cloud database, I wanted to know the ethical considerations in regards to storing user data. Lizzie clarifies that because this is a university project and a prototype, the best approach to handle this ethically is by providing a privacy policy. Hence I spent this week researching how to create a privacy policy that is suitable for my project.

Importance of "Privacy Policy" Research

Below are my research finding on why Privacy Policy is important to integrate in an app:

A privacy policy is important in an app for several reasons:

1. Transparency: A privacy policy provides transparency to users by informing them about the types of personal data the app collects, how it is used, and who it may be shared with. This helps users make informed decisions about using the app and trusting it with their information.

2. User Consent: A privacy policy outlines the app's data practices and serves as a basis for obtaining user consent. By having a privacy policy in place, the app can request and document user consent for collecting and processing their personal data.

3. Legal Compliance: Privacy laws and regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union or the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States, often require apps to have a privacy policy. Compliance with these laws is crucial to avoid legal issues and potential fines.

4. Trust and Reputation: Demonstrating a commitment to user privacy can help build trust and enhance the app's reputation. Users are more likely to feel comfortable using an app that clearly communicates its privacy practices and respects their privacy rights.

5. Security and Data Protection: A privacy policy may outline the security measures and safeguards implemented by the app to protect user data. This can include encryption, access controls, data retention policies, and other measures aimed at ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of user information.

6. User Rights and Control: A privacy policy informs users about their rights regarding their personal data, such as the right to access, rectify, or delete their information. It also allows users to understand how they can exercise these rights and provides them with a means to control their data.

Overall, a privacy policy is essential to safeguard user privacy, comply with legal requirements, establish trust, and demonstrate responsible data handling practices.

 

With better understanding, I begin developing my Privacy Policy version for this app. I focus primarily on stating that user's data will be stored in a cloud server.