For the most part, the apps you use are just that: apps you use and enjoy using. The minute you stop using them, you probably don’t think twice about them again until the next time you want to use them. But some apps are worse than others at respecting your privacy and could be using your data to turn a profit. While this is common practice now, you should still feel like you have some control over your device and what you allow it to do with your data.
If you’re concerned about your privacy and security, think twice before using the following apps — or, at the very least, change your settings so that you give it less access to your location, contacts, and other data.
The Facebook app has access to so much of your personal data including: your location, Wi-Fi, contacts, call logs, text messages, and internal storage. It’s no coincidence that the minute you engage with any content having to do with sandals, you are bombarded with 100 advertisements for sandals. Facebook has always been free to join and use, but its users have always been the product that earns them huge profits. You can set your settings to minimize the amount of data Facebook can access and what it can do with that data.
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Weather Apps
Your phone comes with a pre-loaded weather app that is basic, but accurate. If you prefer to download a weather app that boasts other cool features, you may be agreeing to give up some of your data in turn. Weather apps require your location data for obvious reasons, but they may also be selling your location data to advertisers for profit. Make sure the weather app you’ve downloaded gives you the option to control its settings and allows you to cut off its ability to sell your data.
Multi-Player Games
Multi-player gaming apps often gather a lot of information about you, including your email, birthday, contacts, location, the content of any messages you send or receive from other players, and even your IP address. Before you download any gaming app, but especially a free one, check its permissions to make sure you can control the amount of your data it stores.
Uber Eats
What negative can come from an app whose only purpose is to deliver yummy food to your doorstep? Unfortunately, Uber Eats is among those free delivery service apps that can sell your location data and information about the dining websites you visit to third-party advertisers. The app has been found to sell this data to popular sites like LinkedIn and Facebook. Make sure any delivery app you download has permissions that you can control and take time to adjust your settings so that you are as private as possible.
