The Hindu Business Line : AppLabs tests TRUSTe's programme

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Hyderabad March 7 AppLabs Technologies, a testing solutions provider, has successfully completed the first major phase of testing for TRUSTe's Trusted Download Programme.

AppLabs partnered with TRUSTe in January 2006 to test and certify technical operations of software applicants to the programme.

This was the first time that an outside technology expert was roped in to qualify applicants for the company's privacy programmes.

TRUSTe helps consumers and businesses identify trustworthy online organisations through privacy seal, e-mail privacy seal and trusted download programmes.

It recently unveiled the Whitelist of applications that have passed the certification process for inclusion in its trusted download programme.

These applications, at the version level, have been certified to clearly communicate key functionalities, to obtain informed consumer consent prior to download and provide easy uninstall with clear instructions, among other requirements.

The Chairman of AppLabs, Mr Sashi Reddi, in a statement said: "This particular project involved very rigorous testing across multiple parameters."

To be certified, all applicants have made changes to software behaviour and disclosures.

In some cases, distribution networks have been pared back to increase accountability.

A number of applicants are being turned away as a result of not meeting the rigorous requirements.

AOL, CA, CNET Networks, Microsoft, Verizon and Yahoo! will use the Whitelist as a tool to help make business decisions related to advertising, partnering and distributing software products.