AWS Events app for iOS: Cookie Preferences link is dead

 iOS 18.1.1

AWS Events app for iOS (version 7.6.0)

11/27/2024

Description:

Here's an unusual problem: the AWS Events app has a "Cookie preferences" link. Nothing happens when this link is selected. The other links on this page ("Privacy Policy" and a "Site terms" links) take the user to expected pages. 

The "Cookie preferences" link does nothing. 

Here's what it looks like inside of the iOS app:

Here's what it looks like when that login page (https://registration.awsevents.com/flow/awsevents/reinvent24/reg/login) is accessed on a laptop:

The "Customize cookie preferences" page appears, along with a link to the AWS Cookie notice. 

Other Amazon produced apps have cookie preference pages that are accessible via in-app options. Presumably the AWS Events app should have this option for GDPR compliance? 

Steps to Reproduce: 

1. Download and launch the AWS Events app for iOS (version 7.6.0)

2. From the "All events" page, select "AWS re:Invent 2024"

3. From the "Sign In" page, scroll down and select "Cookie Preferences"

Result: The "Cookie preferences" link on the AWS Events login page inside of the AWS Events app is inactive - no cookies pop-up is activated 

Expected: There should not be a dead link inside of an Amazon released iOS app 

Please Note: The same problem occurs with AWS Events app for Android (version 7.6.0)

Download and launch the AWS Events app for iOS...

Select the "AWS re:Invent 2024" option...

Scroll down to the bottom of this login screen...

Select the "Cookie preferences" option: Nothing happens! 

Particle News app for iOS: Seattle Times articles are returned from searches for "Null"

 iOS 18.1.1

Particle News app for iOS (version 1.0.8)

11/26/2024

Description:

Today, after reading an article about it, I downloaded a new app called Particle. It's a news app that uses AI to organize and curate news for you. It's an interesting idea, with an easy to understand user interface. 

I did find one small thing odd. I ran a search for the term "null" inside of the app:

And actual results were returned from the term "null" - not an optimal result.

This is a test that I run with every app that I download that has a search input box. Unless there is specially an entity named "Null" nothing in the app's menu or search results should, presumably, be labeled as the term "null" - if it is it is worth a second look! 

I've written about issues related to "Null" appearing inside of iOS apps before. 

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Download and launch the Particle News app for iOS (version 1.0.8)

2. Successfully create an account

3. Click on the magnifying glass in the bottom right of the screen

4. Inside of the search input box enter in the term "null"

5. Click on "URLs"

6. Note that 15 Seattle Times URLs are returned that are labeled as "Null"

Result: If the user searches for "null" inside of the Particle News app for iOS, 15 URLs from the Seattle Times newspaper's website are returned. Each URL has a description of "Null" - this is a less than optimal end user experience 

Expected: No returned URL inside of the Particle News app for iOS should be labeled as "Null" 

Download the Particle News app for iOS and create a valid account. Launch the app...

Click on the magnifying glass search option in the bottom right hand corner of the screen...

Enter the term "null" into the search input box and run a search...

Note that 14 "null" results are returned - all from the Seattle Times!

Foxtrot Delivery Market app for iOS: Privacy Policy and TOS links in-app link to nothing

 iOS 18.1.1

Foxtrot Delivery Market app for iOS (version 2024.10.2)

11/20/2024

Description:

There are a number of problems with the links to Foxtrot's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy links inside of the Foxtrot Delivery Market iOS app.

These links are accessed in-app on pages like this:

From the Sign-up portion of the Foxtrot Delivery Market iOS app, select either "Terms of Service" or "Privacy Policy"

A foxtrot URL begins to load, but eventually it ends up on...

It ends up here, which is not a valid URL.

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Download and launch the Foxtrot Delivery Market app for iOS (version 2024.10.2)

2. Select the sliding menu option in the upper left

3. Select "Sign up"

4. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and notice the "By signing up, you agree to Foxtrot's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy" text. Note that "Terms of Service" and "Privacy Policy" are links

5. Click on either the "Terms of Service" or "Privacy Policy" links

Result: Selecting either the "Terms of Service" or "Privacy Policy" links from inside of the Foxtrot Delivery Market app for iOS do NOT take the user to valid TOS or Privacy Policy pages. The user is instead stranded 

Expected: The "Terms of Service" and "Privacy Policy" links inside of the Foxtrot Delivery Market app for iOS should always lead to Foxtrot's valid TOS and Privacy Policy pages 

People's Daily app for iOS: Privacy Policy links in App Store listing does not lead to a privacy policy

 iOS 18.0.1

People's Daily app for iOS (version 4.2.6)

11/12/2024

Description: 

According to Apple App store rules, "all apps must include a link to their privacy policy in the App Store Connect metadata field and within the app in an accessible manner." 

The People's Daily app for iOS does not follow this rule. The People's Daily app for iOS Apple App store listing links to a bad URL.

Here's the URL: https://api.en.pdnews.cn/html/privacyPolicy.html

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Head to the People's Daily app for iOS listing in the Apple App Store 

2. Scroll down and select either "developer's privacy policy" or "privacy policy"

Result: The "developer's privacy policy" or "privacy policy" links on the People's Daily app store listing do NOT lead to a readable privacy policy 

Expected: The "developer's privacy policy" and "privacy policy" links from the People's Daily app store listing should lead to a readable privacy policy 

Head to the People's Daily Apple App Store listing...

Select the "developers privacy policy" link...

Leads to: https://api.en.pdnews.cn/html/privacyPolicy.html which is not a working privacy policy. 

Pepper - Recipes with Friends app for iOS: Google OAuth Consent Screen: Incorrect App Name of pepperauthprod.auth.us-east-1.amazoncognito.com

 iOS 18.0.1

Pepper - Recipes with Friends app for iOS (version 2.10.1)

11/06/2024

Description: 

The Google OAuth Sign In screen for the Pepper - Recipes with Friends app displays an app name of: "pepperauthprod.auth.us-east-1.amazoncognito.com."

This is not an accurate representation of what the user is signing into. 

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Download the Pepper - Recipes with Friends app for iOS (version 2.10.1)

2. Launch the app - select "Sign Up"

3. From the "JOIN US." screen, select the "Sign up with Google" option 

4. From the Google Sign in screen, note the app name of: "pepperauthprod.auth.us-east-1.amazoncognito.com"

Result: The app name listed on the Google OAuth screen presented by the Pepper - Recipes with Friends iOS app is: "pepperauthprod.auth.us-east-1.amazoncognito.com" - this is an AWS URL and not an accurate representation of what the app's name is. There is no privacy policy or TOS link either 

Expected: The Google OAuth screen presented by the Pepper - Recipes with Friends app should present the name of the app correctly 

Launch the Pepper - Recipes with Friends app for iOS...

Select the "Sign Up" option...

Choose the "Sign up with Google" option...

The app name is: "pepperauthprod.auth.us-east-1.amazoncognito.com"