Apple added app privacy label to the App Store last month publishedNow a comparison has been provided between Signal, Apple's own iMessage, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
The new App Store Labels are designed to give consumers a better overview of an app's privacy practices. The new privacy resource describes several important categories to consider, such as data types, data usage, data linked to users, tracking, privacy links, and how to answer questions about app privacy. Now Forbes made a comparison between Signal, Apple's own iMessage, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. It becomes clear - the differences are dramatic, especially with Facebook Messenger.
Signal
- None. (The only personal information Signal stores is your phone number, and it does not attempt to link it to your identity.)
iMessage
- e-mail address
- phone number
- search history
- device ID
- device ID
- user ID
- advertising data
- purchase history
- Rough location
- phone number
- e-mail address
- contacts
- product interaction
- crash data
- performance data
- Other diagnostic data
- payment information
- customer service
- product interaction
- Other User Content
Facebook Messenger
Regarding Facebook Messenger, the report states:
Apps must show what data is being used and how - categorised by things like third-party advertising and developer marketing. Some data is shown in more than one category but it was easy enough to un-duplicate it in the apps mentioned above. With Facebook Messenger, however, the list is so long that I have to list it in full.
third-party advertising
purchases
- purchase history
Financial Information
- Other financial information
Location
- Exact location
- Rough location
contact information
- Physical address
- e-mail address
- Name
- phone number
- Other user contact information
contact person
- contacts
user content
- photos or videos
- gameplay content
- Other User Content
search history
- search history
browsing history
- browsing history
identifiers
- user ID
- device ID
usage data
- product interaction
- advertising data
- Other usage data
diagnostics
- crash data
- performance data
- Other diagnostic data
Other data
- Other data types
advertising or marketing of the developer
purchases
- purchase history
Financial Information
- Other financial information
Location
- Exact location
- Rough location
contact information
- Physical address
- e-mail address
- Name
- phone number
- Other user contact information
contact person
- contacts
user content
- photos or videos
- gameplay content
- Other User Content
search history
- search history
browsing history
- browsing history
identifiers
- user ID
- device ID
usage data
- product interaction
- advertising data
- Other usage data
diagnostics
- crash data
- performance data
- Other diagnostic data
Other data
- Other data types
analytics
Health & Fitness
- Health
- fitness
purchases
- purchase history
Financial information
- payment information
- Other financial information
Location
- Exact location
- rough situation
contact information
- Physical address
- e-mail address
- Name
- phone number
- Other user contact information
contact person
- contacts
user content
- photos or videos
- audio data
- gameplay content
- customer service
- Other User Content
search history
- search history
browsing history
- browsing history
identifiers
- user ID
- device ID
usage data
- product interaction
- advertising data
- Other usage data
Sensitive information
- Sensitive information
diagnostics
- crash data
- performance data
- Other diagnostic data
Other data
- Other data types
product personalization
purchases
- purchase history
Financial Information
- Other financial data
Location
- Exact location
- Rough location
contact information
- Physical address
- e-mail address
- Name
- phone number
- Other user contact information
contact person
- contacts
user content
- photos or videos
- gameplay content
- Other User Content
search history
- search history
browsing history
- browsing history
identifiers
- user ID
- device ID
usage data
- product interaction
- advertising data
- Other usage data
Sensitive information
- Sensitive information
diagnostics
- crash data
- performance data
- Other diagnostic data
Other data
- Other data types
app functionality
Health & Fitness
- Health
- fitness
purchases
- purchase history
Financial information
- payment information
- credit information
- Other financial information
Location
- Exact location
- Rough location
contact information
- Physical address
- e-mail address
- Name
- phone number
- Other user contact information
contact person
- contacts
user content
- emails or text messages
- photos or videos
- audio data
- gameplay content
- customer support
- Other User Content
search history
- search history
browsing history
- browsing history
identifiers
- user ID
- device ID
usage data
- product interaction
- advertising data
- Other usage data
Sensitive information
- Sensitive information
diagnostics
- crash data
- performance data
- Other diagnostic data
Other data
- Other data types
- Other uses
purchases
- purchase history
Financial Information
- Other financial data
Location
- Exact location
- Rough location
contact information
- Physical address
- e-mail address
- Name
- phone number
- Other user contact information
contact person
- contacts
user content
- photos or videos
- gameplay content
- customer support
- Other User Content
search history
- search history
browsing history
- browsing history
identifiers
- user ID
- device ID
usage data
- product interaction
- advertising data
- Other usage data
diagnostics
- crash data
- performance data
- Other diagnostic data
Other data
- Other data
It remains to be seen how many people will actually take the privacy notices in the apps into account. Whether the whole thing will ultimately influence the choice of the respective messaging app is also a question that currently remains unanswered. (Photo by KanawatVector / Bigstockphoto)
