Google issues first YouTube for iOS update since Apple privacy rules went live

Google on Friday updated its YouTube app for iOS, the first such revision since Apple began to require disclosures from developers relating to user privacy and data handling.

The latest version of YouTube includes bug fixes and performance improvements, according to release notes provided by Google.

A corresponding App Store page lists what data the title uses to track users, and specifies information that might be collected and linked to a user's identity. As noted by MacRumors, the privacy disclosure was added to YouTube's description in January per Apple's guidelines, though the app itself went untouched until today.

A number of Google apps have not been updated since Apple began to require the so-called privacy "nutrition labels" in early December. Those include Gmail, Chrome, Google Maps, Google Drive and the flagship Google app.

Apple's program is designed to offer users greater insight into how their data is leveraged by developers. Under the rules an app maker must divulge what data is being collected by either itself or a third party, and detail how that information might be used.

Similar to past App Store policies, apps are allowed to remain on the storefront without publishing the privacy labels, though the new rules will be enforced when updates are submitted. Some have speculated that Google was skirting the privacy disclosure by delaying the rollout of routine updates.

The search giant refuted those claims in January when it announced plans to update its iOS app suite in a couple of weeks, but that timeline was apparently overly optimistic.

Earlier this week, the Gmail app started to warn users that the current iOS version was out of date and did not include Google's latest security features. Google quickly updated its servers to remove the alert.

14 Comments

chasm 3568 comments · 10 Years

About 3 years ago

AI readers would do themselves a favour to read -- and share on social media -- the "privacy label" for the YouTube app. Assuming its truthful and reasonably complete (which is a big assumption), it is still pretty eye-opening even to those of us who knew how invasive Google's services are, and may well shock those we know who have kept their heads buried in the sand about a lot of this.

ionicle 98 comments · 4 Years

chasm said:

AI readers would do themselves a favour to read -- and share on social media -- the "privacy label" for the YouTube app. Assuming its truthful and reasonably complete (which is a big assumption), it is still pretty eye-opening even to those of us who knew how invasive Google's services are, and may well shock those we know who have kept their heads buried in the sand about a lot of this.

Read it, oh dear.... its a cash generating app masquerading as free

CloudTalkin 916 comments · 5 Years

ionicle said:

chasm said:

AI readers would do themselves a favour to read -- and share on social media -- the "privacy label" for the YouTube app. Assuming its truthful and reasonably complete (which is a big assumption), it is still pretty eye-opening even to those of us who knew how invasive Google's services are, and may well shock those we know who have kept their heads buried in the sand about a lot of this.

Read it, oh dear.... its a cash generating app masquerading as free

It's not really masquerading as free since it was the #1 subscription app in the App Store with YouTube Music following at #8. It's a prime example that, generally speaking, most people outside of our little tech bubble don't really give a crap about privacy. They want the convenience of "all the things". If $5 or $10 a month plus some personal information is the cost... they want "all the things". For us, privacy is important. For the vast majority, privacy is something actively and intentionally surrendered on social media every day.

EsquireCats 1268 comments · 8 Years

chasm said:

AI readers would do themselves a favour to read -- and share on social media -- the "privacy label" for the YouTube app. Assuming its truthful and reasonably complete (which is a big assumption), it is still pretty eye-opening even to those of us who knew how invasive Google's services are, and may well shock those we know who have kept their heads buried in the sand about a lot of this.

Just a passing thought: Are the delays to Google's updates on account of auditing the privacy (and maybe even removing some of the unimportant invasive/ surveillance features of the app.)
I can see Google having concerns about the bad press of putting up a privacy label that turns out to be untrue or understated.