Apple’s new app privacy labels went live in the App Store last month, giving users the chance to see what data is collected by each. We then explained how to view them.
All apps are required to show what data is used to track you, and what data is linked to your identity. Looking at that more comprehensive category reveals some stark differences between four popular messaging apps…
App privacy labels for messaging apps
Forbes compared Signal, Apple’s own iMessage, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
Signal
None. (The only personal data Signal stores is your phone number, and it makes no attempt to link that to your identity.)
iMessage
- Email address
- Phone number
- Search history
- Device ID
- Device ID
- User ID
- Advertising Data
- Purchase History
- Coarse Location
- Phone Number
- Email Address
- Contacts
- Product Interaction
- Crash Data
- Performance Data
- Other Diagnostic Data
- Payment Info
- Customer Support
- Product Interaction
- Other User Content
Facebook Messenger
Apps have to show what data is used in what way — categorized by such things as third-party advertising and developer marketing. Some data is shown in more than one category, but it was easy enough to de-dupe them in the above apps. With Facebook Messenger, in contrast, the list is so long I have to list it in full.
Third-Party Advertising
Purchase History
Other Financial Info
Precise Location
Coarse Location
Physical Address
Email Address
Name
Phone Number
Other User Contact Info
Contacts
Photos or Videos
Gameplay Content
Other User Content
Search History
Browsing History
User ID
Device ID
Product Interaction
Advertising Data
Other Usage Data
Crash Data
Performance Data
Other Diagnostic Data
Other Data Types
Developer’s Advertising or Marketing
Analytics
Health
Fitness
Payment Info
Other Financial Info
Photos or Videos
Audio Data
Gameplay Content
Customer Support
Other User Content
Sensitive Info
Product Personalization
App Functionality
Payment Info
Credit Info
Other Financial Info
Emails or Text Messages
Photos or Videos
Audio Data
Gameplay Content
Customer Support
Other User Content
Other Purposes
- Photos or Videos
- Gameplay Content
- Customer Support
- Other User Content
Some have suggested that Apple respond to Facebook’s full-page newspaper ads with a response consisting solely of the above list.
How many people will actually read the app privacy labels, let alone have that influence their choice of messaging app, remains to be seen.
