TL;DR
- Apps are constantly collecting user’s data for many different purposes.
- Despite having some strict protection methods, some malicious apps still make it through the review process.
- Users can take some protective steps to prevent their data from being collected.
Today, there are hundreds of thousands of apps ready to be installed at the touch of a button. While companies such as Apple or Google have already implemented strict data protection policy, some apps have been secretly collecting users data and selling it for commercial purposes.
In this article, we will look at the way apps are collecting your data and how you can protect your information from being sold.
Why do apps collect your data?
Enhanced user experience
Collecting data allows apps to build an extensive customer database and enhanced the user experience. For example, some apps leverage the data they collect to send personalized notifications and messages to different users.
Commercial purposes
Selling user’s data to third party companies for profit can greatly increase a company’s revenue. Everything a person does, including everywhere they click, all the sites they visit and all their interactions online is a valuable asset to a network of companies.
The risks of getting your data collected
Leaked data
Our phones collect a lot of sensitive information without us knowing it. While there is a strict protection standard put in place, there is still a chance that the information gets leaked. Compromised data may result in more severe cyberattacks that put your digital assets at risk.
Spam and adware
As previously mentioned, companies collect the user’s data and sell it to third party companies. These companies then use the information for marketing purposes.
According to Mailmodo, over 319.6 billion spam emails are sent everyday in 2021 alone. Such an overwhelming amount of spam can be a huge disturbance to anyone.
Moreover, spam emails can be dangerous as they may contain malicious links that may cause someone’s personal data to be stolen for illegal purposes such as robbing or blackmail.
How to prevent apps from collecting data ?
Lucky for us, there are several ways to prevent apps from collecting our data.
General methods
Using anti-tracking extensions and private browser
There are many anti-tracking extensions available online that block the apps and websites from collecting user’s data. Plug-in such as Decentraleyes, DuckDuckGo, PrivacyBadger are just some of the hundreds of anti-tracking extensions out there for users to choose.
Looking out for suspicious apps
It never hurts to spend some time reading the reviews and app’s permission before deciding to install it. Some helpful indicators are the review sessions in the App Store and online, app’s descriptions, and etc.
Choose the apps that do not require sensitive information.
For example, instead of using Youtube Kids, consider using other kid-friendly alternatives such as Duolingo ABC or Disney Coloring World which function the same way but do not gather as much data.
On iOS
Turn off App Tracking
Apple is famous for their strict data protection policies and features. With Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature, it gives the user more control over how apps can collect their data and how they use the data.
When opening a new app for the first time, users will get a notification that asks if they want to let the app track their activity. They can choose the “Ask App not to Track” to prevent apps from collecting the data. Users can also manually turn off the feature by:
- Step 1: Go to Settings
- Step 2: Look for the “Privacy” feature
- Step 3: Go to “Tracking” and
- Step 4: Turn off “Allow Apps to Request to Track”
On Android
Limit location sharing
Android users can prevent apps from knowing their locations by doing these simple steps. Note that each android phone may have different names for their settings.
- Step 1: Go to Settings
- Step 2: Look for the “Location” features
- Step 3: Choose the apps that you want to turn off their location permissions
Remove permissions from apps
One of the most effective methods is to manually turn off all the unwanted app’s permissions such as location, accessing your call history, using your camera, etc.
- Step 1: Go to Settings
- Step 2: Go to “Privacy” and then “Permission manager”
- Step 3: Choose the app you want to modify
- Step 4: Choose the permission and tap “Don’t Allow”, “Ask everytime” or “Allow only while using the app”
Turn off diagnostic data sharing and marketing information
Apps send user’s data to companies to diagnose and optimize for the most effective marketing plans. Android users have the option to turn it off.
- Step 1: Go to Setting
- Step 2: Go to “Privacy”
- Step 3: Turn off the “Send diagnostic data & Receiving marketing information”
Final thoughts
While some of the apps on your phone constantly collect user data for enhancing the customer’s experiences, some are for malicious purposes that can do harm to your experience online as well as your lives. Luckily, there are some methods for both iOS and Android users to prevent their data from being collected.
