Apple Reportedly Threatens to Yank iOS Apps Recording Users’ Screens Without Their Knowledge

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In a statement to Gizmodo about the report, a spokesperson for Glassbox said the tool is used to weed out potential bugs or errors and improve overall user experiences. It added that “data collected by Glassbox customers is only captured via their apps, and is neither shared with any third parties, nor enriched through other external sources.” Glassbox also noted that it “restrict[s] access to recorded data to authorized users” and that it audits the individuals who do have access to that information.

But while Glassbox claims that its session replay service is used to improve user experiences, user data may be put at risk during screen recordings if clients fail to adequately mask user information, according to TechCrunch’s investigation as well as findings by mobile researcher the App Analyst. When asked by Gizmodo about those findings, the company shifted blame to its customers. While it Glassbox claims it can mask “everything,” it said that its clients sometimes make “mistakes.”

Air Canada is one such Glassbox client identified by the App Analyst as failing to properly mask data, but the company’s customers also include big brands like Expedia, Hotels.com, and Abercrombie and Fitch, among others—some of which are responsible for guarding sensitive user data.