Almost exactly a year ago we went to CES in Las Vegas and met up with many of our app developer members to look at the year ahead. It felt like 2011 was gearing up to be an exciting year of growth, but also when app developers would attract the attention of policy makers. We feared a storm may be brewing in Washington and this turned out to be bigger than we imagined.
In March, a group of Senators tried to compel app stores to remove their traffic apps holding a press conference outside Apple’s Madison Avenue store. ACT took a public stand against this intervention, warning that arbitrary government interference in the iPhone, Android, RIM and Windows mobile application stores would severely constrain the app marketplace.
April was the start of a huge policy debate around apps and privacy. ACT applauded the actions taken by Apple to encrypt location data and encouraged other companies like Google to take consumer privacy seriously. Calls in Washington to regulate apps were growing louder and we strongly felt it was time for app developers to join the conversation.
The Wall Street Journal’s attack on mobile apps and privacy really set the tone for the rest of the year. At every level of government, policy makers were asking questions about app developers, and how they should be regulated. From the House and Senate to federal agencies like the FTC, ACT and our developer members were grilled about how we were protecting consumer information. While it has certainly been rocky, there were bright spots:
We brought 30 developers from across the country to Washington, DC to meet with their elected representatives. Our rock star developers wore out their shoes trekking from office to office taking their message of regulatory restraint to more than 50 Capitol Hill offices.
ACT President Jonathan Zuck and Executive Director Morgan Reed both testified in front of the United States Senate in support of mobile developers. The only voice for app makers at these hearings, ACT was well received and elected officials from around the world continue to seek our guidance on issues facing small business technology companies.
We testified in front of the House Commerce Committee, and helped to remind Members of Congress that mobile developers aren’t built by some secretive large company, but instead are developed by small businesses spread throughout the world and in every Congressional District. Our stories – our members’ stories – had a huge impact. The Commerce Committee took Morgan’s opening remarks and made it the video centerpiece on their website discussing the hearing.
The Apple World Wide Developer Conference in San Francisco in June was a great time to reconnect with existing ACT supporters and app developers including My Busy Kit, iHomeEducator, iStoryTime, and NSC Partners. We discussed policy at iOS DevCamp and sponsored the “Just Crazy Enough It Might Work” category in a multi-day hackathon. Superstar developer team Cindy Pavlinac and Martin Gregory produced an app entitled “Dog Play Date,” a social networking app for dogs. We’re excited to see where this beta app may go!
August is usually a slow month in Washington DC, but not this past year. The Federal Trade Commission fined the developer of Emily’s Girls mobile apps $50,000 for violating children’s online privacy laws. The FTC then turned its attention to rewriting privacy regulations affecting all developers. Other federal agencies began work on broad new rules that could close revenue streams by curtailing developers’ ability to serve ads and track performance. ACT offered its support for protecting children online but cautioned regulators against overreaching in a way that would punish the whole industry.
In November, Morgan Reed spoke at DC WEEK highlighting app developers’ need for more spectrum. Reprising issues raised with the FCC and in congressional meetings, Morgan addressed the looming spectrum crisis urging the government to increase availability so developers may continue to meet customers’ increasing demand for bandwidth-intensive apps. You can read more about apps and the spectrum crunch on Morgan’s Huffington Post page.
During the last month of 2011, ACT’s Morgan Reed addressed the MoDevEast Developer conference calling on app makers to “check yourself before you wreck yourself.” Discussing the importance of privacy and security, Morgan alerted attendees about pending regulatory actions and offered suggestions on how to best serve customers’ privacy needs.
What will 2012 look like for app developers? As the impact of apps on people’s every day lives increases, so will Washington’s interest in regulating this space. It’s important for app developers to be responsible and hold the trust that consumers give with their private information. It’s equally important for policy makers to be mindful of how the policies they craft will impact small app developers like so many of our members. We will continue to speak on behalf our members and look forward to another great (busy!) year.