Apple and Google are facing pressure from New York's Attorney General to impose stricter privacy rules on contact tracing apps that are currently flooding their app stores

• New York Attorney General Letitia James has called on Apple and Google to impose stricter rules on contact tracing apps.
• While both companies have set out guidelines for apps built on their "exposure notification" API, the same rules aren't enforced for third-party apps in their stores.
• AG James has written to both companies requesting that only verified public health authorities can publish apps that transmit sensitive health information, along with other rules.
• A recent Business Insider investigation discovered that only a few US states are interested in Apple and Google's own contact tracing technology.
• Do you work at Google or Apple? You can contact this reporter securely using encrypted messaging app Signal (+1 628-228-1836) or encrypted email (hslangley@protonmail.com).

New York Attorney General Letitia James is asking Apple and Google to impose restrictions on contact tracing apps that are made available through their app stores.

In letters sent to both companies, AG James asked for the tech giants to impose strict measures that would prevent sensitive health data being collected by untrusted sources, and would require these apps to be transparent in how they operate.

As US states begin to open back up, contact tracing apps are hitting smartphone app stores, but there is a concern that many of these apps have not been properly vetted.

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James' letter also addresses an important difference between apps that use Apple and Google's own "exposure notification" API, which the company recently began rolling out, and third-party apps based on other technologies.

For Apple and Google's own exposure notification technology there are strict guidelines in place, including a rule that only public health authorities are allowed to build apps using it. But when it comes to third-party apps, these same standards don't currently apply.

A recent Wall Street Journal story shone a light on some of the poor privacy practices being used in these third-party apps. In response to that article, Apple said that contact-tracing apps are prohibited from displaying ads and offering in-app purchases. Google also pulled an app for not complying with its advertising policies.

AG James is now calling on both companies to impose stricter rules pertaining to how these third-party contact tracing apps handle sensitive data, and how transparent they're being with users.

"We understand that contact-tracing apps (those that do not use the exposure notification API) offered on the Google Play Store are not subject to the same requirements, and so may have different or lesser privacy protections," wrote James in the letter to Google, making the same case to Apple.

The letters ask Apple and Google to only allow verified public health authorities to put apps on their app stores when these apps transmit personal health information.

It also asks that these apps are upfront about the types of information they collect, how it might be used, and whether the app uses Apple and Google's own Exposure Notification API or something else.

Both companies have until June 19 to acknowledge the letter. Spokespeople for Apple and Google did not immediately responded to Business Insider's request for comment.

And while Apple and Google's API is now rolling out, a recent Business Insider investigation discovered that only three states are openly committing to using it, and many are uninterested in the technology.