Photo: Katopodis / Getty Images
By: EFE Updated 22 Nov 2022, 22: 08 am EST
The attorneys general of ten states of the country asked the Apple company to protect the private information of consumers that seek information related to reproductive health and that is in the applications available in its App Store, after the decision of the Supreme Court that repealed the right to abortion in June.
Prosecutors from Connecticut, New Jersey, California, Oregon, Massachusetts, Washington, North Carolina, Illinois, Vermont and Washington DC sent a letter this week to the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, so that he apply measures that improve the protection of that data and prevent individuals seeking or providing abortion services from being subjected to potential action and harassment by law enforcement, whether private entities or individuals.
Likewise, they added that there are appl Third-party ications in the Apple Store often fail to adhere to these same standards and protections for sensitive data, according to a statement released by Connecticut Attorney William Tong.
2022
They warn in the letter addressed to Tim Cook that this breach in Apple’s protections threatens the privacy and security of consumers of the App Store and goes directly against the company’s publicly expressed commitment to protect user data.
Prosecutors group urges Apple to require app developers to affirmatively certify or state in their privacy policies privacy that will take the proposed security measures, including deleting data that is not essential for the use of the application, including history of location information, search history, and anything else related to consumers who may be searching for, accessing, or helping to provide reproductive health care.
The commitment must also include clear and visible notices about the possibility that apps on the App Store to disclose reproductive health-related user data, which they require occurs only when there is a valid subpoena, search warrant, or court order.
They also demand that apps collect reproductive health data or sync with users’ health data stored on Apple devices and implement at least the same privacy and security standards as the internet giant. technology.
Prosecutors explain in the letter that deleting data related to reproductive health is important to protect consumers who Often they unknowingly leave digital traces of their actions in that area.
In addition, they warn that it is not enough for Apple to protect the reproductive health data that it collects and stores, since the alleged commitment to the privacy and consumer protection requires that the company require the same vigilance of third-party applications that sync with Apple Health, as well as apps that collect reproductive health data from consumers.
2022
It may interest you:
*Supreme Court of Georgia reinstates the ban on abortions from the sixth week of pregnancy
*“Killing an unborn baby is not a right of Women”: Marjorie Taylor Greene Argues with Georgia Voter over Abortion
*Indiana Supreme Court blocks restrictive abortion law until further hearing in January