Gdpr mobile

GDPR on Mobile

Instructions

GDPR is mostly a product / process problem, but the mobile app is where most user-facing obligations land (notice, consent, export, deletion).

1. Lawful Basis, Per Purpose

Never treat "consent" as the default. Map each processing purpose to one of:

Basis	Example on mobile
Contract	Order processing, account management, the thing the user actually signed up for.
Legitimate interest	Fraud prevention, security logging, basic aggregate usage analytics (documented LIA required).
Legal obligation	Tax record retention, lawful intercept requirements.
Consent	Personalized ads, cross-device tracking, optional marketing comms.
Vital interest	Rare; emergency contact features, some health apps.
Public task	Rare outside government / public services.

Maintain a short Record of Processing Activities (RoPA): for each field, a purpose + basis + retention + recipients. Your DPO / legal team will ask for this.

2. Data Subject Rights — What to Build

Ship these flows; don't gate them behind emailing support:

• Access (Art. 15) — export the user's data in a portable format.
• Rectification (Art. 16) — edit profile / corrections.
• Erasure / "right to be forgotten" (Art. 17) — account deletion.
• Restriction (Art. 18) — pause processing without deleting.
• Portability (Art. 20) — machine-readable export (JSON, CSV).
• Objection (Art. 21) — opt out of legitimate-interest processing.
• Automated decisions (Art. 22) — if you make them, provide a human-review path.

3. Export / DSAR Path

// Flow (any platform):
// 1. User taps Settings → Privacy → Download My Data.
// 2. Client posts /me/export; server enqueues a job.
// 3. Job gathers from all systems (primary DB, analytics, backups in scope, logs).
// 4. Server uploads a signed, time-limited URL; notifies the app.
// 5. User downloads a password-protected ZIP with JSON / CSV / attachments.

Implementation notes:

• Include all systems of record — analytics, support ticket, CRM, push tokens.
• 30-day regulatory window; target under 7 days operationally.
• Re-authenticate the user (password + MFA) before starting the export — DSARs are a phishing target.

4. Deletion Path

// Account deletion must be reachable in the app (Apple / Play require this as of 2022 / 2024).
// 1. Confirm identity and intent (password + "type my email" pattern).
// 2. Kick off async deletion job.
// 3. Immediately: invalidate tokens, sign the user out on all devices.
// 4. Within SLA: scrub PII from primary stores; anonymize analytics; delete backups per policy.
// 5. Retain only what a legal basis requires (tax records, fraud prevention), documented.
// 6. Email confirmation when deletion completes.

Hard requirements:

• App Store Guideline 5.1.1(v) and Play Data Safety both require in-app deletion.
• The path cannot be deeper than Settings → Account → Delete Account.
• "Deactivate" is not deletion; keep them as separate flows.

5. Data Retention

Per category, document the shortest defensible retention:

• Session & auth logs: 90 days unless under investigation.
• Analytics events: 14 months at Google Analytics' default; shorter is usually better.
• Crash reports: 90 days.
• Support tickets: 2–3 years after last interaction.

Run a scheduled job that enforces retention; don't rely on manual cleanups.

6. International Data Transfers

• After Schrems II, transfers outside the EEA need a valid mechanism (SCCs, adequacy decision).
• For US vendors, check Data Privacy Framework status at the point of each transfer — it has been litigated before.
• Document subprocessors and transfer mechanisms in your privacy policy.

7. Mobile-Specific Notices

• Show the privacy notice before first data collection, not buried in Settings.
• Material changes require active notice on next launch.
• iOS Privacy Nutrition Labels and Privacy Manifests (PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy) must match your real processing — mismatches are an App Store reject and a GDPR Art. 13 problem.
• Android Play Data Safety form must match the in-app disclosures.

8. Breach Notification

• 72-hour clock to the supervisory authority starts on awareness, not confirmation.
• Have an in-app path to notify affected users where required (Art. 34).
• Pre-write the runbook: who decides, who drafts, who presses send.

9. Vendor / SDK Management

Every SDK that handles personal data = a data processor.

• Sign a DPA (Data Processing Addendum) before integration, not after.
• Disable SDK features you don't use (many default to maximum collection).
• Review annually; SDKs change scope silently.

Checklist

• A RoPA exists mapping each field to purpose, basis, retention, recipients.
• Each processing purpose has a lawful basis (not defaulted to consent).
• In-app account deletion is reachable within Settings → Account.
• In-app data export produces a complete, authenticated, machine-readable archive.
• A retention job enforces documented retention per data category.
• Subprocessors and international transfer mechanisms are listed in the privacy policy.
• iOS Privacy Manifest and Play Data Safety match the real processing.
• A breach notification runbook exists and has been rehearsed.
• Every SDK handling personal data has a signed DPA.