Question

I hear different things from different people on that topic and nobody is really sure. Also a quick google search doesn’t reveal anything informative.

The question is: when using Flurry Analytics (or Google Analytics or whatever analytics tool) in an Android App. Do I need to inform the users in form an EULA or something similar that is shown on first app start and has to be accepted?

The stats collected are completely anonymous, so most people say you don’t have to show an EULA. But what’s the truth now?

Answer 1

The terms of service of google analytics state that:

You will have and abide by an
appropriate privacy policy and will
comply with all applicable laws
relating to the collection of
information from visitors to Your
websites. You must post a privacy
policy and that policy must provide
notice of your use of a cookie that
collects anonymous traffic data.

Also on the Android SDK page they say:

You must indicate to your users,
either in the application itself or in
your terms of service, that you
reserve the right to anonymously track
and report a user’s activity inside of
your app. Your use of the Google
Analytics SDK is additionally governed
by the Google Analytics Terms of
Service, which you must agree to when
signing up for an account.

I would say you must show some kind of EULA, maybe not at first launch but in some kind of about view but it must be present somewhere.

I spared one sentence in my application description in the market, informing the user that if he uses the app data will be collected. If it would be more than a small regional app with not 100 users yet I would put the agreement in the app and have a opt out possibility.