Apps are all fun and games — until they put your personal data at risk.
There are plenty of apps that are safe to use, have noble intentions, and won’t put you at risk. But it just takes one bad apple to spoil your phone. Don’t be caught off guard with a bunch of apps on your phone that can do damage. Security Expert Colin Durrant says these six apps are putting your personal data at risk. Here are tips on keeping yourself private and secure.
Facebook’s data collection practices have been a concern for many years, Durrant reminds us, and the platform has been involved in several high-profile data scandals and data protection fines. “Users should be cautious about the amount of personal information they share on Facebook and review their privacy settings regularly,” Durrant says. “For example, don’t share your birthday, a photo of where you live, when you are on holiday and any other private information. Hackers build profiles of targets and they put all these bits of information together to build such a profile.”
Also: don’t log in to third party website using your Facebook login — this gives them access to your Facebook data.
TikTok
Neck on neck with Facebook you’ll find TikTok. “TikTok’s data collection practices and ties to the Chinese government have raised concerns among many users and especially governments (India, US, UK etc),” Durrant says. “Users should be cautious about the information they share on the app and review their privacy settings.”
Google Chrome
“While Google Chrome is a popular web browser, it collects a significant amount of user data, including browsing history and search queries,” Durrant says. “Users should review their Chrome settings and consider using alternative browsers if they are concerned about their privacy. In a similar token, run an ad blocker and don’t accept cookies wherever possible”.
Owned by Facebook (which we already know has been involved in several data scandals), Instagram itself has been criticized for its data collection practices, according to Durrant. “Users should review their privacy settings and consider limiting the amount of personal information they share on the app,” he says. “Same rules as with Facebook and being careful not to share home locations etc in videos and photos.”
“While WhatsApp is known for its end-to-end encryption, it has had several security vulnerabilities in the past,” Durrant says. “Users should be cautious about the information they share on the app and consider using alternative messaging apps if they are concerned about their privacy. WhatsApp is also owned by Facebook so will have similar privacy issues. Threema is an example of a truly secure app — but it is not free.”
Uber
Uber has been involved in several data breaches in the past, and users’ personal and payment information has been compromised, according to Durrant. “Users should be cautious about the information they share on the app and consider using alternative transportation services if they are concerned about their privacy,” he says. “Don’t get dropped off or picked up directly outside your house, especially if you are vulnerable.”
Bottom line, Durrant says: education on cybersecurity awareness is key.
“While users can continue to use these apps, they should take appropriate steps to protect their data privacy and security, such as reviewing their privacy settings, limiting the amount of personal information they share, and being cautious about opening files or links from unknown sources,” Durrant says.
