News
iPhone developer accused of stealing phone numbers
By Charles Starrett
Senior Editor, iLounge
Published: Thursday, November 5, 2009
News Category: iPhone Applications
A class action lawsuit (PDF Link) has been filed against iPhone game developer Storm8 accusing the company of secretly transmitting and collecting players’ phone numbers. Storm8 makes a variety of games available for download from the App Store, including iMobsters, Vampires Live, and Zombies Live, which the company says have been downloaded more than 20 million times, making them “the number one role-playing games for the iPhone and iPod touch.” While the suit acknowledges that Storm8 admitted to transferring players’ phone numbers in August, calling the problem a “bug,” it also states that the company “could not have accidentally harvested its users’ phone numbers” and needed to use “very specific and specialized software code to do so.” This is not the first time a company has been accused of secretly stealing users’ phone numbers via an application; European application mogoRoad was said to be transferring users’ numbers and using them to place the unsolicited calls in September.
Share This Article & Win an iTunes Gift Card. Comments
If you have a comment, news tip, advertising inquiry, or coverage request, a question about iPods or accessories, or if you sell or market iPod products or services, read iLounge's Comments + Questions policies before posting, and fully identify yourself if you do. We will delete comments containing advertising, astroturfing, trolling, personal attacks, offensive language, or other objectionable content, then ban and/or publicly identify violators.
Recent News
- Happy Holidays from iLounge!
- Apple telling developers to ready big-screen apps (Updated)
- Rogers extends free tethering offer through May
- Photo of the Week: iPhone 3GS in New Zealand
- Nielsen: Apple iPhone 3G top U.S. cell of 2009
- Mix: WTO, iTunes Connect, iPhone cops, Unreal Engine
- Zagg intros ZAGGsparq mobile battery
- Apple TV subscription service in 2010, CBS, Disney on board?
- iPod touch users lag on iPhone OS 3.0 adoption
- Mix: Magellan, WWDC 2010, SNL, Tapulous
Recent Reviews
- Geneva Lab GenevaSound S
- Cignias Nao Symphony Wireless Music Station
- Cables Unlimited Fone-Doc Hands-Free for iPhone 3G/3GS
- Gameloft N.O.V.A - Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance
- Gameloft James Cameron’s Avatar
- Namco Ridge Racer Accelerated
- Westone Westone 2 True-Fit Earphones
- DGA Livespeakr Ultra Portable Speaker System
- Magellan RoadMate 2010 North America
- iKit NuFlow Charger Dock + Amp
Recent Articles
- iPhone Gems: 2XL Fleet Defense, Glyder 2 + Jungle Style Pinball
- Editorial: Thoughts On 2009, Or, The Not-Quite-Year-In-Review
- iPhone Gems: Need For Speed Shift, Strikers 1945 Plus + Twin Blades
- Ask iLounge 12-18-09
- iPhone Gems: A.D.D, Battleship + Snow Moto Racing / Lite
- iPhone Gems: Low Grav Racer 2, Skater Nation + Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X
- Ask iLounge 12-11-09
- iPhone Gems: Aqua Forest 2, Chuzzle + Pac-Man Championship Edition
- iPhone Gems: Critter Crunch, geoSpark + Jet Car Stunts
- Ask iLounge 12-4-09
1
I would like to know more about this. I was using the app till today. Are we talking all number from a phone or just the number belonging to the phone SIM? Also if they are making calls are we talking “calls make to the phone? Or calls made using the number causing financial loss? Should I be getting my number changed. Would be nice if an article of a serious nature like this was more clear.
Cheers,.
Posted by EkDor on November 7, 2009 at 9:51 PM (PDT)
2
Apple may want to consider doing like Android does and inform the user of what each application has access/permission to do on the phone. With this transparency in place rogue applications would lose their cloak of secrecy.
Posted by andy on November 8, 2009 at 8:27 PM (PDT)