The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) -- a rights advocacy group -- says the privacy changes in iOS 6 give iOS device users substantially more control over their private data while setting the bar for others to follow, reports "Computerworld" (http://macte.ch/GPKMJ).

"CDT applauds Apple's decision to incorporate these substantial pro-privacy elements into iOS 6, allowing users to finely control how their data gets shared with specific apps, and to more easily express a desire not to be tracked by marketers," the CDT said. "We hope that this effort encourages mobile OS vendors to continue to iterate and compete on built-in privacy controls."

Joseph Lorenzo Hall, CDT's senior technology analyst, says one of the most important changes in iOS 6 is the introduction of a new Privacy tab that allows users to determine which applications have access to the device's location data, contact information, calendar, reminders and Bluetooth. The settings allow users to exert far more granular control over application behavior than was possible previously, he added.