Selective regulation of information transmission from mobile applications to third-party privacy compliant target systems

• US 9,479,929 B1
• Filed: 02/09/2016
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quantcast
• Original Assignee: Quantcast
• Inventors: Sareshwala, Faraaz A., Fernandez de Castro, Daniel Vogel, Flowerday, Crispin Edward Harold, Kamprath, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): ABEDIN, SHANTO
• Application Number:
  US15/019,168
• Time in Patent Office: 259 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1, 726 26- 31, 705/14.47, 709/229
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6272 by registering files or documents with a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

Selective regulation of information transmission from mobile applications to a third-party privacy compliant target system. A privacy policy is configured for and mapped to each of a multiplicity of mobile application concerns, with each privacy policy comprising rules regulating the transmission of information to a third-party privacy compliant target system. Instrumentation instructions can be integrated with a mobile application and provided to a mobile device. The instrumentation instructions direct the mobile application to submit a privacy policy request comprising a mobile application identifier from the mobile device to a third-party privacy compliance system and enable sending information from the mobile device to the third-party privacy compliant target system, subject to the privacy policy. The privacy policy request is received at the third-party privacy compliance system which selects the privacy policy based on an application identifier and sends the privacy policy to the mobile device for implementation.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for selectively regulating transmission of information from a mobile device to a partner system by a third-party privacy compliance system, the method comprising:

associating a privacy policy with each of a plurality of software installation cohorts, each software installation cohort representing a plurality of mobile devices, each privacy policy comprising a rule for regulating transmission of information from the mobile device to the partner system, each privacy policy mapped to a respective identifier;

providing instrumentation instructions for integration with a mobile application and operation by the mobile device, wherein the instrumentation instructions comprise instructions for;

requesting a privacy policy from the third-party privacy compliance system, the privacy policy request comprising the identifier of a software installation cohort of the mobile application;

receiving the privacy policy from the third-party privacy compliance system;

selecting privacy-compliant information available to the mobile device, the privacy-compliant information in compliance with the received privacy policy; and

sending the selected privacy-compliant information to the partner system;

receiving the privacy policy request at the third-party privacy compliance system;

selecting, at the third-party privacy compliance system, the privacy policy mapped to the identifier of the software installation cohort of the mobile application; and

sending the selected privacy policy to the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the third-party privacy compliance system and the partner system are the same system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the instrumentation instructions further comprise instructions for:

implementing a default privacy policy for regulating transmission of information to the partner system, at the mobile device, for use in the absence of a valid privacy policy at the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the instrumentation instructions further comprise instructions for:

invalidating the privacy policy, after an end of a mobile application use session.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the instrumentation instructions further comprise instructions for:

detecting an absence of a valid privacy policy; and

submitting a new privacy policy request responsive to detecting the absence.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the instrumentation instructions further comprise instructions for:

detecting that advertising tracking for the mobile device has been disabled; and

prohibiting transmission of information to the partner system and the third-party privacy compliance system.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the instrumentation instructions further comprise instructions for:

detecting that advertising tracking for the mobile device has been disabled; and

initiating generation of a new application installation identifier for the mobile application.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:

at least one rule is configured by a third-party privacy compliance system operator.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein:

at least one rule is configured by a mobile application vendor.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein:

at least one rule is configured by a mobile device operator.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein:

the at least one rule configured by a mobile device operator is not transmitted to the third-party privacy compliance system operator.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the instrumentation instructions comprise:

instructions for receiving a mobile device operator configured rule; and

enabling application of the mobile device operator configured rule to a second mobile application integrated with instrumentation instructions from the third-party privacy compliance system on the mobile device.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium executing computer program instructions for selectively regulating transmission of information from a mobile device to a partner system by a third-party privacy compliance system, the computer program instructions comprising instructions for:

associating a privacy policy with each of a plurality of software installation cohorts, each software installation cohort representing a plurality of mobile devices, each privacy policy comprising a rule for regulating transmission of information from the mobile device to the partner system, each privacy policy mapped to a respective identifier;

providing instrumentation instructions for integration with a mobile application and operation by the mobile device, wherein the instrumentation instructions comprise instructions for;

requesting a privacy policy from the third-party privacy compliance system, the privacy policy request comprising the identifier of a software installation cohort of the mobile application;

receiving the privacy policy from the third-party privacy compliance system;

selecting privacy-compliant information available to the mobile device, the privacy-compliant information in compliance with the received privacy policy; and

sending the selected privacy-compliant information to the partner system;

receiving the privacy policy request at the third-party privacy compliance system;

selecting, at the third-party privacy compliance system, the privacy policy mapped to the identifier of the software installation cohort of the mobile application; and

sending the selected privacy policy to the mobile device.

14. The medium of claim 13 wherein:

the third-party privacy compliance system and the partner system are the same system.

15. The medium of claim 13 wherein the instrumentation instructions further comprise instructions for:

implementing a default privacy policy for regulating transmission of information to the partner system, at the mobile device, for use in the absence of a valid privacy policy at the mobile device.

16. The medium of claim 13 wherein the instrumentation instructions further comprise instructions for:

invalidating the privacy policy, after an end of a mobile application use session.

17. The medium of claim 13 wherein:

at least one rule is configured by a mobile device operator.

18. A system comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing processor-executable computer program instructions for selectively regulating transmission of information from a mobile device to a partner system by a third-party privacy compliance system, the instructions comprising instructions for;

associating a privacy policy with each of a plurality of software installation cohorts, each software installation cohort representing a plurality of mobile devices, each privacy policy comprising a rule for regulating transmission of information from the mobile device to the partner system, each privacy policy mapped to a respective identifier;

providing instrumentation instructions for integration with a mobile application and operation by the mobile device, wherein the instrumentation instructions comprise instructions for;

requesting a privacy policy from the third-party privacy compliance system, the privacy policy request comprising the identifier of a software installation cohort of the mobile application;

receiving the privacy policy from the third-party privacy compliance system;

selecting privacy-compliant information available to the mobile device, the privacy compliant information in compliance with the received privacy policy; and

sending the selected privacy-compliant information to the partner system;

receiving the privacy policy request at the third-party privacy compliance system;

selecting, at the third-party privacy compliance system, the privacy policy mapped to the identifier of the software installation cohort of the mobile application; and

sending the selected privacy policy to the mobile device.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein:

the third-party privacy compliance system and the partner system are the same system.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein:

at least one rule is configured by a mobile device operator.