World News | Apple's App Stores Open New Privacy Window for Customers

Cupertino, Dec 14 (AP) Apple will begin spelling out what kinds of personal information is being collected by the digital services displayed in its app stores for iPhones and other products made by the trendsetting company.

The additional disclosures will begin to appear in apps made for iPads, Mac computers and Apple's TV streaming device, as well as its biggest moneymaker, the iPhone. Apple announced the changes were coming six months ago as part of an effort to help its customers gain a better understanding of how apps monitor their habits, tastes and whereabouts.

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In many instances, the data scooped up by apps is used to sell ads targeted at a particular person's interest and location, especially if their services are being offered for free.

The increased transparency about the collection and handling of personal information is designed to help people make more informed decisions about which apps they choose to install on their phones and other devices.

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The changes were worked out with European regulators and mesh with Apple's efforts to position itself as a trustworthy guardian of its customers' privacy — an issue CEO Tim Cook has been framing a “fundamental human right.”

In the process, Cook has been taking veiled shots at Google and Facebook, which make most of their money from digital ads that are driven by the mining of personal information. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)