Logging into Credit Karma on iPhone and was prompted to allow background location access 24/7. The message indicated that I could not continue unless I agreed. I denied the request, and I have not been able to log into my Credit Karma account through the app since.
For a service people use to check their credit information, that is a troubling choice to face. I should be able to understand why the app wants access to my location when I am not using it, and whether I can sign in without granting that permission.
Apple distinguishes between location access “While Using the App” and “Always.” The “Always” setting permits an app to access location while it is in the background. It does not necessarily mean the app is recording a person’s location every minute of the day. support.apple.com
Credit Karma’s U.S. App Store listing says the app may use location even when it is not open. Its developer-provided privacy disclosure also lists location as data that may be collected and linked to a user’s identity. Neither disclosure explains why I was unable to proceed with my login after declining background access. apps.apple.com
My experience does not establish that every iPhone user encounters the same requirement. Credit Karma also has a login page on its website; when you try to log in on the website via mobile device it states you can only log in with your phone downloaded app. www.creditkarma.com
Credit Karma should explain why its iPhone app presented background location access as a condition of my login, what that location access is used for, and how a member who declines it can access their account. Until then, users facing the same prompt deserve a clear way to make an informed choice.