Why Should Developers Care About Privacy?

How often do you think about privacy?

For me, the answer is “all the time.” That’s because I work in the location data industry. X-Mode handles a lot of sensitive data, and it’s crucial that we do so in a safe, transparent way. That’s the reason laws like GDPR and CCPA exist, and impose stiff penalties on any company that doesn’t take these responsibilities seriously.

But that’s me. What about app developers? Isn’t their life already busy enough, what with doing all the legwork behind our favorite apps, often without a clear revenue stream? Do I really expect every one-person dev shop and app publisher to give a hoot about the privacy of their users’ data?

In a word, yes. Yes I do. Bear with me while I explain to you why developers should care about privacy just as much as data companies.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you will have noticed some of the data breaches and privacy scandals in the headlines recently. Companies like Cambridge Analytica and Equifax have become synonymous with bad data ethics and a disregard for privacy. They have cast a shadow over the entire industry.

Nobody wants to be caught up in a privacy scandal. When users entrust you with their data, you are promising to them that you will respect their privacy and protect their information. If you follow through on this promise, your customers will trust you, and your reputation will reflect that. Regulations are only going to become more stringent in the years to come. It is the companies that take privacy seriously that will succeed.

Valuing privacy and accountability isn’t just better for your individual app; it’s better for the whole digital ecosystem. 

The mobile app and ad-tech industries right now exist in a precarious position. The only way for apps to stay profitable without charging users or bombarding them with ads is to monetize data. But due to privacy concerns and a lack of transparency, this practice is constantly under attack. Without the trust necessary to monetize data, apps will shut down. The ad-tech industry will be starved of its source of data.

A focus on privacy is crucial in order for both industries to survive. If users can trust that their app data is being handled in a transparent, privacy-conscious way, they will be much more likely to trust apps with that data. In turn, app developers can focus their energy on building apps instead of stressing out about profitability. It’s a win-win.

Maybe this sounds like a lot of pressure to an  already-busy developer. After all, isn’t data privacy the responsibility of the data collector? Don’t developers already have enough to worry about without concerning themselves with whether their data is totally secure or not?

No app developer got into their line of work because they were passionate about privacy. The good news is that if you pick the right company to monetize with, they might do the work for you. While some data companies might see their publisher relationships as purely transactional, others understand that it can be a mutually beneficial partnership. Keeping your data safe as a publisher can be as simple as choosing the right company to work with.

At X-Mode, we have a special appreciation for our app developer partnerships. After all, we started out making apps ourselves. That’s why we have a dedicated client success and legal team that is committed to helping all of our partner apps acquire full GDPR and CCPA compliance. Developers and their users can rest assured that all of their data is safe and private — without even lifting a finger.

We hope you enjoyed this post about privacy, and walk away from it with a better understanding of why we are so insistent on the subject as a company. For some help on getting your app compliant with current regulations, check out our free GDPR checklist! For more questions about how X-Mode can help you monetize your data while preserving privacy, please check out our publisher page, or reach out to us via our contact form.