PopCap and Rovio Deny iPhone Privacy Accusations

The Wall Street Journal recently published a report featuring a very handy demonstration about how many popular apps like "Angry Birds" and "Bejeweled 2" on iPhones and other smart phones record private user data such as names, passwords, locations, and mobile numbers. All of this data allegedly goes to the app maker for personal use or sold to third party advertisers so they can customize their spam to your tastes. Considering all the cries for privacy for their network devices, fears of identity theft, and the general aversion to spam advertising, such accusations against app developers could really affect their future sales.

After Rovio, the creators of "Angry Birds," quickly denied the the accusation, popular casual game and app developer PopCap did the same. Ed Allard, the Head of Studios at PopCap Games, told Develop that "Recent reports on user data and transmissions to third parties for a variety of iPhone applications have been misleading and possibly confusing for PopCap customers." He follows by saying that "Bejeweled 2" will only transmit the password to Facebook in order to properly integrate the social networking site with the iPhone's communication only after the player grants permission to do so. He implies that the WSJ report is worded to spread paranoia about personal data via theses seemingly benign and addictive apps and it is still well within the player's personal decision to allow such integration.

So in other words, do not integrate the iPhone app and Facebook to avoid such.

The WSJ reported that some of the apps tested on the iPhone sent data to ad agencies. But Apple states that iPhone apps "cannot transmit data about a user without obtaining the user's prior permission and providing the user with access to information about how and where the data will be used."

The whole concern over privacy on Facebook has been around since the WSJ again managed to report that its popular apps like "FarmVille," "Frontierville," and "Texas Hold 'Em Poker" was leaking personal user information to online advertising and data trackers. So again the best way to currently avoid such risk is to keep your iPhone or other smart phone with apps from syncing with Facebook. Though you may also notice that those popular Facebook games previously listed are all from Zynga. So, when will Zynga join Rovio and PopCap in denying that it delves into the private information of its users?