GSMA warns mobile operators over subscribers’ privacy

The global association of GSM operators, GSMA, has said mobile operators across the world must keep the protection of subscriber privacy “at the front of their thinking.” The GSMA’s Director -General Mats Granryd said the new challenges already on the horizon shouldn’t be an excuse to violate their subscribers’ privacies. Granryd, according to a statement […]

The global association of GSM operators, GSMA, has said mobile operators across the world must keep the protection of subscriber privacy “at the front of their thinking.”
The GSMA’s Director -General Mats Granryd said the new challenges already on the horizon shouldn’t be an excuse to violate their subscribers’ privacies.
Granryd, according to a statement from GSMA media team, told an audience at the GSMA mobile 360 – privacy & security at the Hague, Switzerland  that, in addition to privacy, operators have to secure subscriber data, act transparently, ensure private communications stay that way and assure financial transactions are carried out safely.
Already, the GSMA has its Mobile Privacy Initiative in place which established universal guidelines to allay consumer concerns.  Within the initiative, the GSMA published its Mobile Privacy Principles in 2011, as well as design guidelines for app developers a year later.
And Granryd also pushed the association’s efforts in the area of identity and authentication. The GSMA head said its Mobile Connect initiative – aiming to allow consumers to use mobile phone credentials to securely and safely access digital services such as e-commerce, banking, health, entertainment and e-government – has seen “fantastic” uptake.
“In February, we announced there are more than two billion enabled users globally, with 34 mobile operators,” he commented. “We’re now focused on developing the Mobile Connect ecosystem, increasing the services linked up to Mobile Connect.”