Android App - Record/Analyze ALL users input in EditText

Question

The app that I'm developing allows the user to enter in a zip code, then the app displays my local businesses that are closest to them. So if someone entered in a New York zip code, all of my franchises located in NY would show up.

It would be ideal if I could see what zip codes are most popular with the usage of this app, and which states receive the most traffic.

Is there a way to record/analyze the entered in zip codes of my users, and have that data sent back to me? Will this become a privacy issue if I gather this data?

Thanks

EDIT

The zip code the user will enter is simply in an EditText.

Answer 1

What you want to do is certainly possible. Since you're posing this question at all, I'm guessing you're app has the available franchises stored locally as opposed to retrieving them from a server.

Where is the data supposed to be sent to? If you have a server, you can use an HttpsURLConnection and POST the requested zipcode to your server when the user presses calculate or however else calculation is kicked off in your app. You will need the internet permission for this to work.

As a word of caution, you should be very up front about that you're doing this to the user, and also give them an option to turn it off, or even have it turned off per default. Personally, this would be the kind of thing that would bother me a great deal if I were to use your app. (Actually, if I couldn't turn it off, I probably wouldn't use it.)

EDIT

I'm not an expert on U.S. privacy laws but I imagine you probably need a formal privacy statement, as well. You certainly do if your app is also available in the European Union (regardless of whether it's useful there or not - whether or not it's available is enough.)

Answer 2

Yes you can easily collect this data and return it to a server. This will require an additional permission for your application 'android.permission.INTERNET' (If not already included.)

Not a lawyer and didn't stay in a Holiday Inn... but I don't see a privacy concern if you're using anonymous data... if you're packaging up user information (Name, Phone #, etc.) and sending it back I would think you'd want to include a "privacy policy" in your app's terms of service.