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Audacity Faces Scrutiny After New Owners Publish a Privacy Policy Allowing Data Collection

posted by martyb on Tuesday July 06 2021, @10:22PM   Printer-friendly
from the product-name-fits? dept.

takyon writes:

Audacity facing scrutiny after new privacy policy allows data collection, makes app 13+

Muse Group (the owners of MuseScore and Ultimate Guitar) recently acquired Audacity in early May. On July 2nd, a new privacy policy for the app was posted to the app's website. Audacity did not previously have any sort of privacy policy in place for the app on their website, so there is no prior archived version of this page before its original publishing on July 2nd.

Much of this new privacy policy is harmless and, realistically, only exists for protecting the interests of Muse Group in any instance of legal trouble. However, users are frustrated over some of the choices made in this document.

Notably, the privacy policy includes the following: "The App we provide is not intended for individuals below the age of 13. If you are under 13 years old, please do not use the App." [...] In addition to the concerns raised by educators, the privacy policy seems to imply that if contacted by law enforcement, there is no limitation on what data they may collect.

See also: Audacity has been acquired by Muse Group, which also owns MuseScore and Ultimate Guitar (May 4)
Audio editor Audacity has the audacity to add telemetry collection -- and users are not happy (May 8)
Telemetry Debate Rocks Audacity Community In Open Source Dustup (May 17)
Audacity reverses course on plans to add opt-in telemetry after outcry (May 17)
Audio editor Audacity denies spyware accusations (June 6)

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 2) by epitaxial on Wednesday July 07 2021, @12:10AM (2 children)

    by epitaxial (3165) on Wednesday July 07 2021, @12:10AM (#1153500)

    I still play mp3s with Winamp.

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  
    Total Score:   2  

  • (Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 07 2021, @04:27AM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 07 2021, @04:27AM (#1153581)

    I still play mp3s with Winamp.

    It really whips the llama's ass!

    • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 07 2021, @09:54AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 07 2021, @09:54AM (#1153632)

      A distant relative of mine owns an event space and DJs from time to time just for the fun of it. As a joke at his own wedding there, they kept playing that clip randomly in the mix. It was often enough that you definitely noticed at least once but not too much that it felt overdone after you did. As people got drunker, they literally started cheering when the DJ played it.