Back in April, Muse Group acquired Audacity, a free and open-source audio recording software. Earlier this week, an update to the privacy policy for the application led to claims that the software now acted as spyware for the company. Now, Muse Group has officially responded, according to MusicRadar, saying that the spyware claims are simply a result of “unclear phrasing.” Updated on July 2, the privacy policy now states that the app collects personal data like the OS version, the user’s country based on IP address, CPU info, non-fatal error codes, and messages. The updated policy also lists “data necessary for law enforcement, litigation and authorities’ request.” Additionally, the policy says that Muse Group may share any of the information that it collects with its staff members, to law enforcement bodies, the company’s auditors, advisors, or legal representatives, as well as potential buyers of the software. It’s this info that has led to users become concerned with the app being spyware and while Muse Group says the phrasing is unclear there are also concerns over changes to the Contributor License Agreement. A recent update to that policy has added to growing community concern about the future of the program. It is worth noting that the company says that the current version (3.02) doesn’t collect any of the data mentioned in the privacy policy update and that it won’t apply to the offline use of the program. While some might be happy to hear Muse Groups’ response, it is unclear whether or not these “unclear phrasing” claims will be enough to satiate the community’s concerns.
