App store privacy labels still fail to give clear user guidance

Inconsistent data privacy labels aren’t yet delivering real clarity for users, despite being a helpful idea for app stores. Data privacy labels are intended to show what personal data apps collect, how it’s used, and who it might be shared with, but the current versions are “not at all useful” and can mislead consumers about a company’s privacy practices.

According to Lorrie Cranor, director and Bosch distinguished professor at Carnegie Mellon University's CyLab Security & Privacy Institute, labels were promising but the methodologies differ between Apple and Google, with examples like how data collection is defined. The piece notes that several reports found inaccuracies in labels, stemming more from honest mistakes and developer misunderstandings than deliberate deception.

It argues for standardising labels, featuring them more prominently in app store listings, and building tools to help developers create accurate labels while giving stores a way to verify them. It also suggests that consumers could benefit from simplified versions of privacy policies and from AI-powered tools to help people find apps that align with their privacy preferences. The article appeared on 3 April 2026.