Do you know that your data can be sold for money? These popular iOS apps have been spotted sending the users location history as well as the real-time location information to third-party firms. As the users data is very important to firms in predicting and meeting the future needs of a user, some apps are claimed to use this strategy for their personal gain. Companies pay really high for user's information (like location, purchasing interests, etc) and hence the apps are collecting user's information and selling it.
Some popular iOS apps like ASKfm, Classifieds 2.0 Marketplace, Tapatalk, and Homes.com are claimed to collect information about the GPS longitude and latitude, Bluetooth LE beacon data, WiFi SSID and BSSID using a packaged code provided by monetising firms. The data that is collected is later sent to the firms that monetise and sell it for their personal gain. As, the GuardianApp stated in a report that "In order to gain initial access to precise data from the mobile device's GPS sensors, the apps usually presents a rational justification relevant in Location Services permission dialogue and failed to mention that the data is also shared with the third-party monetising firms".
Till now 24 iOS apps have been claimed to collect the user data and send to the monetising firms. Also, the GuardianApp stated and specified that 12 data monetisation firms that collect user data including RevealMobile which was previously suspected of collecting data from popular app like Accuweather. Additionally, some apps constantly send updated GPS coordinates, accelerometer data, battery charge percentage and status, cellular network MCC/ MNC, cellular network name, GPS altitude and speed, timestamps for departure/arrival of a particular location every second to firms.
You might be wondering why Apple is not aware of this business and how Apple is allowing it. But as a matter of fact as per App Store legal guidelines on data collection and sharing, Apple restricts apps that send user's location data to third parties without explicit user consent. However, the app developers are smart enough to provide no details about accessing of user's data or sharing the data with any monetising firms while uploading the app in App Store.
How to Temporarily Prevent apps from exposing your Information??
Apple is now looking forward to exclude these apps from the App Store, until then you can temporarily stop these iOS apps from exposing your data by following these certain steps, Apple recommends that you need to turn on the Limit Ad Tracking feature on your iOS device.
Settings > Privacy > Advertising > Turn on Limit Ad Tracking feature.
Additionally, you can select the Don't Allow option if a location Services permission dialogue contains see privacy policy or similar text surfaces on the screen. You can also use a standard name for the WiFi router, and Turn off Bluetooth functionality when not in use.
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