iLounge

A week after social networking app Path, and subsequently other apps, were found to be accessing users’ contacts data without their knowledge or permission, Apple has responded on the issue, saying that users will soon need to give explicit permission for an app to do so. “Apps that collect or transmit a user’s contact data without their prior permission are in violation of our guidelines,” Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr told AllThingsD. “We’re working to make this even better for our customers, and as we have done with location services, any app wishing to access contact data will require explicit user approval in a future software release.” Apple’s comment comes after an inquiry from Congress questioning the company about its policy relating to the privacy and security of a user’s data.