Abstract: An approach is provided for deleting a user's online data across different services and platforms based on contextual selection criteria. The deletion manager determines at least one request to delete data associated with at least one user, the request specifying at least in part one or more contextual parameters. The deletion manager determines one or more data records associated with the at least one user from one or more services, one or more applications, or a combination thereof. The deletion manager causes, at least in part, a deletion of the one or more data records based, at least in part, on whether the data at least substantially meet the one or more contextual parameters.

Abstract: An approach is provided for generating privacy ratings for applications. A privacy ratings platform determines use information associated with one or more applications executing on one or more devices. By way of example, the use information is determined based, at least in part, on usage data associated with one or more input sources, one or more components, one or more categories of personal information, or a combination thereof associated with the one or more devices. The privacy ratings platform then processes and/or facilitates a processing of the use information to determine one or more privacy ratings for the one or more applications.

Abstract: A method operates, during development of an application program intended to be run on a mobile user device, to perform a computer assisted analysis of the application program to determine at least one user privacy-related aspect of the application program; and to present the determined at least one user privacy-related aspect. The determined at least one user privacy-related aspect may be presented to a developer of the application program. An apparatus and system for performing the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method operates, during development of an application program intended to be run on a mobile user device, to perform a computer assisted analysis of the application program to determine at least one user privacy-related aspect of the application program; and to present the determined at least one user privacy-related aspect. The determined at least one user privacy-related aspect may be presented to a developer of the application program An apparatus and system for performing the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: An approach is provided for determining and utilizing geographical locations contextually relevant to a user. A contextually relevant location platform determines location-based data associated with a user and/or user device. The contextually relevant location platform determines stationary points based, at least in part, on the location-based data. The contextually relevant location platform determines context data associated with the stationary points. The contextually relevant location platform determines at least one location anchor based, at least in part, on the stationary points and the associated context data, wherein the at least one location anchor represents a bounded geographical area of contextual relevance to the user.

Abstract: An approach is provided for deleting a user's online data across different services and platforms based on contextual selection criteria. The deletion manager determines at least one request to delete data associated with at least one user, the request specifying at least in part one or more contextual parameters. The deletion manager determines one or more data records associated with the at least one user from one or more services, one or more applications, or a combination thereof. The deletion manager causes, at least in part, a deletion of the one or more data records based, at least in part, on whether the data at least substantially meet the one or more contextual parameters.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus provide for operating a user interface of a device to receive from a user, for individual ones of a plurality of user privacy categories, a user privacy setting; to map each user privacy setting to one or more device sensors to form a sensor policy for the user privacy category; and to monitor application program accesses to device sensors to detect a violation of a sensor policy. An aspect of the exemplary embodiments of this invention is the user interface that can represent privacy levels of each application program to the user in a “user-friendly” format. Another aspect of the exemplary embodiments is to provide the user device with an ability to detect and act on or at least report privacy violations by the application programs.

Abstract: An approach is provided for categorizing user-initiated and application-initiated access to device resources. The monitoring platform determines one or more access requests by at least one application to one or more resources of at least one device. The monitoring platform processes and/or facilitates a processing of the one or more access requests to cause, at least in part, a categorization of the one or more access requests based, at least in part, on whether the one or more access requests were initiated by a user of the at least one device. The monitoring platform causes, at least in part, an assessment of the at least one application based, at least in part, on the categorization.

Abstract: An approach is provided for generating privacy ratings for applications. A privacy ratings platform determines use information associated with one or more applications executing on one or more devices. By way of example, the use information is determined based, at least in part, on usage data associated with one or more input sources, one or more components, one or more categories of personal information, or a combination thereof associated with the one or more devices. The privacy ratings platform then processes and/or facilitates a processing of the use information to determine one or more privacy ratings for the one or more applications.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus provide for operating a user interface of a device to receive from a user, for individual ones of a plurality of user privacy categories, a user privacy setting; to map each user privacy setting to one or more device sensors to form a sensor policy for the user privacy category; and to monitor application program accesses to device sensors to detect a violation of a sensor policy. An aspect of the exemplary embodiments of this invention is the user interface that can represent privacy levels of each application program to the user in a “user-friendly” format. Another aspect of the exemplary embodiments is to provide the user device with an ability to detect and act on or at least report privacy violations by the application programs.

Abstract: An approach is provided for enabling location based interaction between wireless nodes over an ad-hoc mesh network. A location anchoring services module monitors an ad-hoc mesh network for activity information exchanged among one or more nodes within a predetermined proximity. Messages exchanged between wireless nodes are then processed with respect to location information for determining a location anchor. The activity information are then associated with the location anchor.

Abstract: An approach is provided for determining and utilizing geographical locations contextually relevant to a user. A contextually relevant location platform determines location-based data associated with a user and/or user device. The contextually relevant location platform determines stationary points based, at least in part, on the location-based data. The contextually relevant location platform determines context data associated with the stationary points. The contextually relevant location platform determines at least one location anchor based, at least in part, on the stationary points and the associated context data, wherein the at least one location anchor represents a bounded geographical area of contextual relevance to the user.