Got a call from Apple last night regarding the removal of Big Brother from the App Store. Apparently, Apple believed that I was “surreptitiously harvesting user passwords.” I have sent in a new update without the analytics in question, as well as appealing on the grounds that:
If users are choosing 1234 as their passcodes in mass, then my app by extension becomes less effective. This anonymous data helps me improve future versions.
** I should also mention that the person who contacted me from Developer Relations didn’t personally know of any articles regarding my data, nor was he involved in the decision process, so I could not speak directly to those who made the decision. I suspect that my article was heard by word of mouth and sounded like I was doing as they fear.
Yesterday I posted an analysis of the Most Common iPhone Passcodes, with passcode data taken from my Big Brother Camera Security app. As of today at 4:58pm EST, Big Brother has been removed from the App Store. I’m certainly not happy about it, but considering the concerns a few people have expressed regarding the transfer of data from app to my server, it is understandable.
I think I should clarify exactly what data I was referring to, and how I was obtaining it. First, these passcodes are those that are input into Big Brother, not the actual iPhone lockscreen passcodes. Second, when the app sends this data to my server, it is literally sending only that number (e.g. “1234”) and nothing else. I have no way of identifying any user or device whatsoever.
Lastly, and overall, I had believed that said data was covered under section b of the iTunes EULA:
b. Consent to Use of Data: You agree that Application Provider may collect and use technical data and related information, including but not limited to technical information about Your device, system and application software, and peripherals, that is gathered periodically to facilitate the provision of software updates, product support and other services to You (if any) related to the Licensed Application. Application Provider may use this information, as long as it is in a form that does not personally identify You, to improve its products or to provide services or technologies to You.
Namely, that I’d be able to collect this data so long as it was “not personally [identifiable to] You.” Perhaps this was a misunderstanding on Apple’s part, or perhaps I missed a developer agreement where I’m not able to publish certain statistics (?), but I’m hoping to get this worked out and have Big Brother back on the App Store. I’ll gladly remove the code in question if it is what Apple has a problem with. That said, I had planned on having these common passcodes built into a next update, so as to prompt users not to choose obvious passcodes.
Feel free to email me what you all think and whether or not you agree.