Desk Report,
Experts warn that various apps including Facebook and WhatsApp are conducting surveillance
The apps that smartphone users use every day are secretly collecting personal information. UK-based consumer rights organization ‘Which’ recently analyzed various apps used on Android phones and said that popular apps including Facebook and WhatsApp are monitoring users by collecting unnecessary and sensitive information at an alarming rate. Many apps unnecessarily ask for permission to know the location of users, as well as access microphones and files. As a result, users are giving away their valuable personal information even though the apps can be used for free. In this regard, Harry Rose, editor of Which, said, ‘Although it may seem simple at first glance, the apps use user information, sometimes excessively.’ According to the research, if you install 20 popular apps including Facebook and WhatsApp together, you have to grant a total of 882 permissions, many of which are risky. Xiaomi’s smart home app ‘Xiaomi Home’ asks for the most permissions. The app asks for 91 permissions, 5 of which are risky. Next is Samsung’s ‘SmartThings’ app (82 requests, 8 risky), Facebook (69 requests, 6 risky) and WhatsApp (66 requests, 6 risky). The search conducted on apps based on the Android operating system showed that the Facebook app requests the most permissions among social media. A total of 69. It is followed by WhatsApp (66), TikTok (41, of which 3 are risky) and YouTube (47, 4 risky). Out of the 20 apps, 16 apps request permissions that allow other apps to launch popups without the user’s consent. In addition, 7 apps request permissions that allow the app to be activated in the background when the phone is turned on. Risky permissions include the ability to automatically turn the phone’s microphone on or off, determine precise location and read files stored on the device. According to cybersecurity experts, this information is very valuable to advertisers, through which ads are sent based on user behavior analysis.
Experts warn that various apps including Facebook and WhatsApp are conducting surveillance
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has acknowledged the collection of user data, saying that the microphone is not used in the background of the app without the user’s consent. Samsung said that its app operates in compliance with data protection laws. According to TikTok, privacy and security are fundamental parts of each of its products and that data is collected as needed to provide users with various services.
