Problem 1 is captured in the headline linked Washington Post article:
Under a new “App Privacy” label added last month, there’s a blue check mark, signaling that the app won’t share a lick of your data. It says: “Data not collected.”
I downloaded a de-stressing app called the Satisfying Slime Simulator that gets the App Store’s highest-level label for privacy. It turned out to be the wrong kind of slimy, covertly sending information — including a way to track my iPhone — to Facebook, Google and other companies.
And:
As I write this column, Apple still has an inaccurate label for Satisfying Slime. And it’s not the only deception. When I spot-checked what a couple dozen apps claim about privacy in the App Store, I found more than a dozen that were either misleading or flat-out inaccurate.
And:
Apple’s big privacy product is built on a shaky foundation: the honor system. In tiny print on the detail page of each app label, Apple says, “This information has not been verified by Apple.”
Apple’s response:
“Apple conducts routine and ongoing audits of the information provided and we work with developers to correct any inaccuracies. Apps that fail to disclose privacy information accurately may have future app updates rejected, or in some cases, be removed from the App Store entirely if they don’t come into compliance.”
Problem 2 is highlighted in this thread:
The App Store has a big problem👇
— Kosta Eleftheriou (@keleftheriou) January 31, 2021
You: an honest developer, working hard to improve your IAP conversions.
Your competitor: a $2M/year scam running rampant.
1/🧵
The problem showcased here is the App Store’s infestation with scammy, copycat apps. Read the thread. It does a great job laying out all the details.
Is the App Store simply too big to police properly?