Given collecting data on consumer habits is its business, the fact analytics firm Flurry is making potential privacy concerns its focus may surprise many.

Regardless, that's exactly what its new Privacy First Initiative (PFI) will attempt to do, bringing in a number of clauses that developers wishing to use Flurry's software in their apps will have to agree to.

The intention is to be a little bit more open with the end user. Flurry insists that developers signed up to its analytics software have opt out and data delete options, both linked to the particular device the app is running on.

Lifting the lid

Titles running Flurry will also have to come with "simple, readable terms of service language" which "must be included as part of each application's terms of service or privacy policy and accessible before the application is installed and launched".

If embraced by the industry as a whole, it could make a change for the analytics business.

It's also likely to be a reaction to Apple's hardening of attitude when it comes to location-based advertising on its iDevices.

"PFI is the result of months of consultation with customers and partners as well as a review of privacy standards in similar industries," says Flurry president and CEO Simon Khalaf.

"PFI's white hat approach to data collection and visibility into audience targeting goes a long way to ease consumer privacy concerns. Nothing is done without the consumer's knowledge, or without the chance for a consumer to stop data collection."

Data deletion

It doesn't stop there either. Apps running Flurry's AppCircle ads will have to come with an information button that explains what data is used for advertising targeting, as well as providing yet more opt out and data deletion options.

Data will also only be kept for set period, with Flurry deleting all raw statistics after a set period of time has elapsed, and any location information that goes into more detail than the metropolitan area the user is in will be blocked.

Flurry claims more than 28,000 firms have integrated its analytics or advertising software into more than 40,000 apps.

PFI will be rolled out on iPhone this summer, before making the leap to Android, BlackBerry and Java.