Key Legal Issues for Online Retailers to Be Aware of

Mobile apps may use hardware IDS (permanent identification numbers associated with a device) to promote functions and track users, collect geo-location information through GPS and other methods, and access certain files (e.g., contacts and call logs) stored on a mobile device.

In the United States, a patchwork of federal and state laws and regulations regulate aspects of consumer privacy and data security. Federal agencies, particularly the FTC acting under the Federal Trade Commission Act or the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 and related rules, and state agencies, notably in California acting under the California Online Privacy Act, have developed privacy guidelines and recommendations and pursue enforcement actions against companies for allegedly unfair or deceptive uses of personal data. In addition, other nations (notably, the EU and China) have adopted often markedly different data privacy regulations applicable to transactions with consumers in such countries.