by Some of Jay-Z's "new Rules" may need some tightening up if a privacy group gets its way. Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) is urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate an app created by the music mogul and Samsung, which distributed his new album, "Maga Carta…Holy Grail," to one million Galaxy subscribers.
"Samsung failed to disclose material information about the privacy practices of the app, collected data unnecessary to the functioning of the Magna Carta App, deprived users of meaningful choice regarding the collection of their data, interfered with device functionality and failed to implement reasonable data minimization procedures," EPIC claimed, according to the Los Angeles Times.
According to The Rolling Stones, users were required to grant the Samsung-exclusive program access to such information as their age and Facebook and Twitter info, as well as release data regarding their location, phone calls and networks. Users also had to grant the app permission to post on social media sites. 1.2 million users downloaded the app.
Samsung has responded to the group's complaint with the FTC, saying that the MCHG app's permissions were standard and in line with other applications. "Any information obtained through the application download process was purely for customer verification purposes, app functionality purposes and for marketing communications, but only if the customer requests to receive those marketing communications," the electronics giant said in a statement. "Samsung is in no way inappropriately using or selling any information obtained from users through the download process."
