WASHINGTON, D.C.- The Application Developers Alliance announced today it has joined the Digital Due Process Coalition (DDPC), an organization that aims to modernize privacy laws to provide stronger protections to communications and related data through a significant revision to the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA).
“We are very excited to team with up with the Digital Due Process Coalition to update the law to reflect the technology of today, the changes in how consumers communicate and ‘store’ documents, and to prepare for future changes,” said Alliance President Jon Potter.
“When ECPA passed nearly thirty years ago, apps and the Internet of Things were unimaginable and yet these byzantine laws still apply in a world where we communicate in completely different ways than before. Thirty years ago storage limitations dictated consumers’ behavior, now electronic storage is cheap and plentiful. Enacting strong ECPA reform will clarify rights and laws affecting the app industry that are critical for building consumer trust and advancing app innovation.”
“Over 100 companies, privacy and consumer groups and trade associations have joined the Digital Due Process coalition because of their legitimate interest in protecting communications data,” said Chris Calabrese, Senior Policy Director at the Center for Democracy & Technology, a founding member of the coalition. “We welcome the Application Developers Alliance as a member in the fight to simplify, clarify, and unify the ECPA standards.”
DDPC formed around the notion that the exponential evolution of technology over the past several years calls for the creation of updated and more relevant laws to police and protect online communications data. The Coalition’s member base has expanded to include over 100 major corporations, such as Apple, Adobe, Amazon and AT&T.
The app industry is growing rapidly, and as new devices, platforms, and tools become available, developers face new, unique challenges protecting their interests and those of their users. To ensure the continued success of the app industry, we need to update ECPA so that digital communications receive adequate protection from government overreach. The Apps Alliance will work together with the Digital Due Process Coalition to provide insight and resources from the app industry that will advance ECPA reform.
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The Application Developers Alliance is a non-profit global membership organization that supports developers as creators, innovators, and entrepreneurs. We promote industry growth and advocate on public policy and industry issues. The Apps Alliance, which now includes more than 200 corporate members and a 50,000-strong developer network, launched in January of 2012 and initiated European services in early 2014. Membership includes app publishers, developer agencies, platforms, wireless carriers, hardware manufacturers, ad networks, enterprise tools and service providers.
