A specialist online business lawyer says that app developers across the UK need to bring themselves up to speed on new guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) on how to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998.
Amy Hylton from Midlands legal firm Higgs & Sons says the publication of new ICO guidance gives information to app developers on how to protect and promote the privacy of app users. She commented:
“Data protection may not be at the forefront of the minds of developers as they create apps, but the new guidance should alert businesses to the issue of data protection and the need to ensure that information is being used and stored in accordance with legislation.
“According to Apple, there were 1,000,000 apps available for download at the end of 2013. Of these, 475,000 were native to iPad. This is a huge increase in a very short time if you consider that only in July 2009 there were just around 65,000.
“Many businesses will develop an app to support their marketing communications or to showcase a product. Marketers and communications professionals need to be aware that the Data Protection Act applies to their creations. One way to support this would be a properly drafted and relevant privacy policy for the business.”
Higgs & Sons works from two offices in the Black Country – Waterfront Business Park in Brierley Hill and Kingswinford. The firm employs more than 200 people, which includes over 100 specialist lawyers.
For specialist advice for your business relating to data protection, contact Amy on 0845 111 5050 or email amy.hylton@higgsandsons.co.uk