Avast, matey! Pray tell, which scurvy apps be plunderin' yer precious data like a sneaky sea dog?
2023-12-19
Arr, me hearties! Ye be wantin' to know which scurvy shopping apps be hoardin' yer precious personal data, aye? Well, fear not! Ol' Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson be spillin' the beans on those thievin' apps and teachin' ye how to guard yer privacy while ye be plunderin' the shops, and even after!
The CyberGuy informs readers about the amount of personal data collected by various shopping apps. According to a report by AtlasVPN, eBay's Android app collects the most data, with 28 data points. The top 10 apps that collect data on users include eBay, Amazon Shopping, Afterpay, Lowe’s, iHerb, Vinted, The Home Depot, Alibaba, Poshmark, and Nike. While some of the data collected is used for performance and app development, some apps also collect financial and personal information. The report reveals that 58% of shopping apps on the Google Play Store share personal information with third-party companies, including names, email addresses, phone numbers, and home addresses. Additionally, 52% of shopping apps share device IDs, which can be used to track users' devices. More than a third of the shopping apps analyzed also share users' financial data, such as purchase history and payment information. The article recommends several steps to protect one's privacy, such as researching the information collected by apps before downloading them, avoiding less trustworthy apps, reviewing app permissions, using a VPN, clearing cache and cookies regularly, using a password manager, and opting out of personalized ads and data sharing. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of being aware of the information shared and taking steps to protect privacy when using shopping apps.