When it comes to choosing which apps to download and which to keep off your phone, considering your security and privacy is crucial. Some of the most popular apps are also, unfortunately, complete data hogs. And if your goal is to protect your iPhone investment for as long as possible, while also protecting your personal information, it’s wise to keep certain downloads off of your device. According to Tech Expert Steven Walker, CEO of Spylix, this is the one popular app you should never download to your iPhone.
“The first one on this list might be surprising to some, but the reality is bitter,” Walker admits. “The worst app that an iPhone user can possess is Facebook because it tracks you across various websites and other apps, thus questioning your privacy.”
Moreover, Facebook requires almost all the permissions to start up, like access to contacts, text messages, media, call logs, camera, microphone, location, and internal storage, Walker says. “It tracks where you go on the internet, what you search for, and even what you buy,” Walker says. “The company has been filed with multiple cases of stealing information from the users.”
Sadly, Facebook Messenger is not a privacy-safe swap for Facebook. “It is also one of the worst apps to be possessed as it worsens users' privacy,” Walker says. “It does not use end-to-end encryption like WhatsApp, store your private messages in plain texts, and automatically scan the links and images you send to someone to check if they come under the company's policies.”
While you are doing some app spring cleaning on your phone, consider also getting rid of weather apps like AccuWeather, WeatherBug, The Weather Channel. “They require access to the location to track the weather, but they follow you 24/7 and sell this to the advertisers, thus putting you at high risk of security issues,” Walker says.
If you decide to delete these apps, accessing Facebook via your browser and using your phone’s built-in weather app are easy work-arounds that can help keep your info as secure and private as possible.
