Appears a user tracking component from Pinch Media used by devs in a variety of apps in the app store is sending back a little more info than some people are happy with. You know, like your birthday, age, hardware ID and exact geographic location! (full overview here)
I have to admit, when I click the button to allow the device to use my location it’s never even occurred to me that this was a two way street and this info was being sent out and harvested somewhere. Naive perhaps but I’ll think twice from now on.
If you’re concerned about this issue, a good blog to keep an eye on is http://i-phone-home.blogspot.com/, which reviews apps based on their privacy. They also have a hosts file available (jailbroken phones only of course), which may be a better option than the suggestion from Pinch Media that we simply use all our apps in Airplane mode!
I did an interview with Greg Yardley from Pinch Media this past Monday. His company is one of the ones that provide analytics (some call spyware) for iPhone apps. You can listen to his side of the story and what he had to say to some of our questions at http://www.theappshow.com/2009-08-18-the-app-show-episode-36-are-your-iphone-apps-phoning-home/
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