PALO ALTO, CA — (Marketwired) — 08/12/13 — Disconnect, the developer of popular privacy and security software, is launching their newest app today: Disconnect Kids for iPhone and iPad ().
Disconnect Kids is the first, and only, iOS app that prevents data about your web-browsing and in-app activity from ever leaving your device. The app is also a unique educational tool that introduces children and parents to the broader topic of online privacy.
“As a father of two children who love iPhones and iPads, I was frustrated there weren-t any apps that protect kids from unwanted tracking and targeting,” says Disconnect cofounder Casey Oppenheim. “Disconnect Kids fills this need and is a fun way for families to learn about online privacy.”
Hundreds of mobile tracking companies collect info about the browsing and app activity of users, mainly to target ads. Most people agree that intentionally targeting children in this way should be illegal. But there-s a loophole in US privacy law that allows a site or app not directed at children to continue tracking and targeting a user unless the site has “actual knowledge” the user is a child, which sites and apps often don-t know.
“Disconnect Kids aims to close this loophole by letting you actively block major mobile tracking companies and the network connections they try to make to your family-s devices,” adds cofounder and ex-Googler Brian Kennish. “Until now, nobody had figured out how to stop personal data from leaving an iOS device.”
The technology powering Disconnect Kids was developed by ex-NSA engineer Patrick Jackson, who leads Disconnect-s mobile efforts. Says Jackson, “We-re able to leverage the iOS platform to prevent invisible tracking services from collecting browsing history, in-app activity, location, and other info from a user-s iPhone or iPad.”
This short video shows how Disconnect Kids works under the hood: .
Features:
The ability to block and unblock the 20 most prevalent mobile trackers
A comic book that introduces the topics of online tracking and targeting
Two animated videos that help children and adults understand and control their personal data
Disconnect Kids is available for free at and in the App Store.
About Disconnect
Disconnect develops award-winning privacy and security software in Palo Alto, California. The company was founded in 2011 by a former Google engineer and by a consumer-rights attorney. Disconnect-s mission is to help people understand and control how their data is used online.
Disconnect-s top-rated apps stop tracking by third parties and search engines and are used by more than 1,000,000 people every week. Visit Disconnect on the web at.
Media Contact:
Shermineh Rohanizadeh
202-735-5706
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