In today’s digital age, many popular apps collect our personal data without our consent. From Google Chrome to TikTok, these apps track our online activity, usage, and interactions to provide personalized experiences and targeted advertising.
Here are five apps that surpriseingly collect excessive amounts of personal data:
1. **Google Chrome**: With a heavy reliance on user-tracking, Google Chrome collects your activity through cookies and data sent to Google Analytics. To reduce data collection, consider using DuckDuckGo as an alternative browser.
2. **Amazon Alexa**: No longer the digital assistant that respects user privacy, Amazon Alexa now records your voice in case you’re issuing a command and sends it to the cloud without option to opt out. For local control and respect for user privacy, try Home Assistant for home automation.
3. **Facebook**: With extensive data-collection practices, Facebook collects your personal data, including location information and personal interactions. While switching platforms can be challenging, consider using alternative social apps like LinkedIn or Discord for a more private experience.
4. **Uber Eats**: Uber Eats shares its collected data with third parties, citing 30-50% of the data being shared. To minimize data collection, uninstall the app and use the web browser instead.
5. **TikTok**: As the parent company ByteDance faces pressure to sell TikTok to a US-based entity, the app collects your location data, usage, and device information to improve services and personalize recommendations. For an alternative experience, try Clapper, which has restrictions behind paywalls and no ads.
To maintain online privacy, focus on finding apps that respect user boundaries and utilize features like incognito mode, account separation, or ad-blocking extensions.
Source: https://www.androidpolice.com/apps-that-track-you-more-than-you-think