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Finnish games giant Rovio has assured users that it is not sharing data with the NSA or any other government spy agency.
The studio released a statement in response to spreading media reports that end user data was being collected through its Angry Birds games. Claims that the NSA and GCHQ were spying on game networks emerged just before Christmas.
The statement reads: "Rovio does not share data, collaborate or collude with any government spy agencies such as NSA or GCHQ anywhere in the world.
"The [media] speculation is based on information from documents leaked by Edward Snowden.
"The alleged surveillance may be conducted through third-party advertising networks used by millions of commercial web sites and mobile applications across all industries. If advertising networks are indeed targeted, it would appear that no internet-enabled device that visits ad-enabled web sites or uses ad-enabled applications is immune to such surveillance.
"Rovio does not allow any third party network to use or hand over personal end-user data from Rovio’s apps."
Mikael He’d, Rovio’s CEO, added: "Our fans trust is the most important thing for us and we take privacy extremely seriously. We do not collaborate, collude or share data with spy agencies anywhere in the world.
"In order to protect our end users, we will – like all other companies using third-party advertising networks, have to re-evaluate working with these networks if they are being used for spying purposes."
