BBB National Programs’ Privacy Watchdog Brings Public Safety App into Compliance with Ad Privacy Best Practices

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McLean, VA – April 7, 2021 – BBB National Programs’ data privacy watchdog, the Digital Advertising Accountability Program (DAAP), released a new data privacy case decision for the public safety app MobilePatrol. Appriss, the publisher of MobilePatrol, worked with DAAP to bring its app into compliance with the Digital Advertising Alliance’s (DAA) Self-Regulatory Principles for privacy and interest-based advertising.

DAAP monitors the mobile app marketplace, conducting network traffic tests of popular mobile apps and opening formal inquiries where it finds a gap in compliance with best privacy practices. During its monitoring, DAAP discovered that third parties were collecting mobile device identifiers and location data through MobilePatrol, which has more than five million downloads in the Google Play Store.

DAAP opened a formal review and sent Appriss an inquiry letter addressing these issues. In response, the company worked quickly to meet interest-based advertising data privacy requirements.

The company fully addressed the DAAP’s concerns by: 

• Adding a jump link to the top of its privacy policy that mobile device users can follow to learn more about interest-based advertising occurring on MobilePatrol and exercise mobile app privacy choices
• After indicating that it had not authorized such collection, ensuring that no third parties could collect precise location data for IBA through MobilePatrol
• Adding a statement of adherence to the DAA Principles to its privacy disclosures

DAAP has published 126 public actions since the program began its self-regulatory mission in 2011. All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. 

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About BBB National Programs:  BBB National Programs is where businesses turn to enhance consumer trust and consumers are heard. The non-profit organization creates a fairer playing field for businesses and a better experience for consumers through the development and delivery of effective third-party accountability and dispute resolution programs. Embracing its role as an independent organization since the restructuring of the Council of Better Business Bureaus in June 2019, BBB National Programs today oversees more than a dozen leading national industry self-regulation programs, and continues to evolve its work and grow its impact by providing business guidance and fostering best practices in arenas such as advertising, child-directed marketing, and privacy. To learn more, visit bbbprograms.org.

About the Digital Advertising Accountability Program: The Digital Advertising Accountability Program (DAAP), a division of BBB National Programs, was developed by the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) to enforce industry self-regulation principles for data privacy in online and mobile advertising, holding companies accountable to the DAA’s Privacy Principles. DAAP provides guidance to companies looking to comply with industry principles and responds to complaints filed by consumers about online privacy.