Bloomberg reports that the Berlin Regional Court in Germany has ordered Apple to change its policies for managing customer’s data on its website after ruling that Apple’s terms for data use go against German laws.
According to a statement posted by a German consumer group Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (VSBV), the courts have ruled that Apple cannot request “global consent” for use of a customer’s data” without informing the user of where and how the data will be used. It will also no longer be able to use German users’ data to “promote location-based services and products” or deliver the data to third-parties for advertising purposes.
The Federal Trade Commission issued new recommendations for Apple and other mobile platform owners back in February to improve mobile privacy disclosures. European Union officials followed up with recommendations of their own the following month. It is unknown if the decision in the German courts will force Apple to change its sharing policies for mobile platforms as well.
Head of the VSBV Gerd Billen said in the statement that the German court’s ruling “shows the high importance of data protection for consumers in a digital world.”
Apple refused to comment on the court’s ruling, but is expected to appeal.
