Unintentional Data Exposure
When we use our phones for social media, streaming, or gaming, we expose ourselves to extensive data collection. But did you know that our favorite apps aren’t just gathering information for their own use? They are also sharing it with third parties, all in the name of profit. Our Candy Crush Saga Addiction
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At first glance, the only thing that seems bad about Candy Crush Saga is how addictive it is. However, that’s not true. While many gaming apps collect your data for analytics and personalization, Candy Crush Saga goes a step further by sharing 8.6% of your personal data with third parties.
- According to Marin Marinčić at Nsoft, this data includes location, email, and contact information.
- It’s not just limited to games; other apps also collect this sensitive information.
- If you’re serious about protecting your personal information, it might be worth considering an alternative to Candy Crush Saga.
A closer look reveals that other popular games like Roblox and Monopoly GO! do not share any personal data with external parties. For instance, Roblox focuses on user-generated content, allowing players to create and share their own games. Candy Crush Saga vs Roblox and Monopoly GO!
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Behind Duolingo’s fun and gamified interface lies a privacy trade-off that most users aren’t aware of. While the app aims to make language learning engaging and accessible, it collects a surprising amount of personal data from the moment you create an account to when you subscribe to Duolingo Max.
- Duolingo’s privacy policy states it may share your data with OpenAI.
- Even more surprising is that Duolingo explicitly advises users not to share any personal information while using the app.
- Surfshark named Duolingo the “Undisputed Champion of Tracking” in 2023.
- Of all the personal data Duolingo collects, a significant 20% is shared with third parties.
Duolingo’s Data Collection Practices
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You’re probably familiar with how TikTok poses serious risks to personal privacy and security. The app collects a wide range of personal information, including your phone’s model, operating system, real-time location, and your entire contact list.
| Key Features: | Phone’s model, Operating system, Real-time location, Contact list |
| TikTok’s Data Sharing: | 23% of personal data shared with third parties, Advertisers, and data brokers |
TikTok’s Data Collection and Sharing Practices
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Despite stiff competition from platforms like Instagram and TikTok, Snapchat continues to hold a strong user base with over 850 million monthly active users. While it may have made its name for its self-destructing model, its data collection practices aren’t much different from TikTok’s.
- Snapchat collects and stores everything you voluntarily share in your profile, including metadata from the messages and snaps you send.
- The app also tracks your precise location through the Snap Map feature, even when you’re not actively using the app.
- Nsoft’s report states that Snapchat shares approximately 14.3% of your personal information with third parties.
Snapchat’s Data Collection Practices
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X has gone through quite a few changes in the last couple of years, but not all of them have been aimed at improving the user experience. The platform doesn’t just collect your tweets and DMs—it also closely monitors your interactions with ads, tracking every click, scroll, and even how long you linger on them.
“The worst part is that there’s no transparency about how this sensitive information is used or stored.”
X’s Data Collection and Sharing Practices
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Even if you don’t use Spotify to upload anything or exchange messages, the app still knows much more about you than you might expect. Spotify tracks your listening habits in surprisingly fine detail: what you listen to, how long you listen, and even what time of day you’re listening.
- Spotify tracks your listening habits with an incredible level of precision.
- This data helps Spotify map out your moods, routines, and behavior patterns.
- Spotify even collects motion and orientation data from your phone’s sensors, such as the gyroscope and accelerometer.
- Nsoft’s report states that Spotify shares roughly 17% of your personal data with third-party partners.
Spotify’s Data Collection Practices
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From your purchase history and viewing habits to your device information and location data, Amazon creates a detailed profile of you to fuel its advertising and recommendation algorithms. If you use the Amazon app on your phone, it can also access your contact lists, photos, Wi-Fi credentials, and even aspects of your credit history.
| Key Features: | Purchase history, Viewing habits, Device information, Location data |
| Amazon’s Data Sharing: | 5.7% of user data sold, Prime Video sells a staggering 8.6% |
Amazon’s Data Collection Practices
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YouTube might be one of the most entertaining apps out there, but when it comes to privacy, it’s far from innocent. As a core part of Google’s advertising ecosystem, YouTube collects a significant amount of personal data to fuel highly targeted ads.
- YouTube stores all kinds of personal information, including your location, contact details, physical address, phone number, and search history.
- Google builds a detailed profile of you, including your preferences and behaviors.
- YouTube sells about 31.4% of the data it collects to other companies.
YouTube’s Data Collection Practices
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When using LinkedIn for your job search, it’s helpful to provide essential information about yourself, such as your education, job history, contact details, and more. However, that’s not all LinkedIn knows about you.
- Limited to the details you willingly provide.
- LinkedIn also collects your IP address, proxy server, operating system, and even the browser add-ons you use.
- LinkedIn uses your data to train AI models unless you explicitly opt out.
- Nsoft’s report states that LinkedIn collects a whopping 74.3% of user information and shares 37% of that data with third parties.
LinkedIn’s Data Collection Practices
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As the old saying goes, “If something is free, you are the product.” Nowhere is this more evident than in Meta’s suite of apps: Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and Threads.
| Key Features: | Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Threads |
| Meta’s Data Sharing: | 91.4% of personal data shared, 68.6% with third parties |
Meta’s Data Collection Practices
Protecting Your Digital Footprint
Of course, uninstalling all the apps on this list may not be feasible for most people. However, understanding the privacy risks and taking proactive steps to limit data sharing can significantly reduce your digital footprint. By doing so, you can ensure a safer online experience. Take control of your data and make informed decisions about which apps you use and share your data with. Choose wisely.
