Malena Carollo reports
A new smartphone app promising a safe travel option for kids as young as 8 may be a relief for busy parents, but digital privacy experts warn that Shuddle’s young customers’ data may be less secure.
… Shuddle’s privacy policy, they say, may enable the company to collect too much personal information from kids and parents – without specifying how long Shuddle will retain that information – and could pose problems when the data is sold to third parties such as advertisers.
For instance, to use the app, parents are required to create an online profile with the kid’s name, cellphone number, e-mail address, and photograph. They can also opt to include their kid’s date of birth. To pick up the kids, drivers can see the first name and last initial of both parent and kid and the kid’s photograph and destination. What’s more, the company’s privacy policy says Shuddle “drivers may be able to retain certain information learned over the course of providing a ride” – including after the ride is complete. Shuddle does not give any more details beyond that.
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