Apple adds App Store guidelines requiring devs obtain health research data consent, disclose Apple Pay policies, more

Apple has added some new entries to its App Store Review Guidelines that developers must follow when developing and submitting apps for iOS devices. Among the new additions, Apple is requiring developers to obtain consent from users for health-related human subject research, obtain explicit authorization for downloading music and video from third-party sources, and disclose policies related to Apple Pay…

For the new health research guidelines, Apple is likely preparing for the roll out of its just unveiled ResearchKit platform as well as deeper integration of health and fitness data from users with the launch of Apple Watch and new companion apps. During its Apple Watch and MacBook event earlier this week, the company took the wraps its new open-source ResearchKit platform enabling the iPhone community to contribute to medical research. Through iPhone apps, the first five of which launched this week, iPhone users will be able to contribute by doing things like taking part in Parkinson’s tests or performing tapping tests for research into evaluating hand tremors.

With ResearchKit in mind, Apple is now requiring developers obtain consent for the following health-related human subject research:

27.9 Apps conducting health-related human subject research must obtain consent from participants or, in the case of minors, their parent or guardian. Such consent must include the (a) nature, purpose, and duration of the research; (b) procedures, risks, and benefits to the participant; (c) information about confidentiality and handling of data (including any sharing with third parties); (d) a point of contact for participant questions; and (e) the withdrawal process

For Apple Pay, Apple notes developers using the payment service for recurring payments must “at a minimum, disclose the length of the renewal term and the fact that it will continue until canceled, what will be provided during each period, the charges that will be billed to the customer, and how to cancel.”

Lastly, Apple has updated its guidelines to include a clause that apps allowing downloads of video or music from third-party sources, such as YouTube, must do so with “explicit authorization.” 

“8.6 Apps that include the ability to download music or video content from third party sources (e.g. YouTube, SoundCloud, Vimeo, etc) without explicit authorization from those sources will be rejected”