Apps sending users’ data to Facebook without their consent
21–26 of 26 posts
Re: Apps sending users’ data to Facebook without their consent
#22Apple needs to ban these SDKs from being included in apps. No one reads the privacy policies and they leak data to another party that the user doesn't have a relationship with. Provide first party services, intermediate between apps and ad networks and/or white list a handful of companies to provide these services that are audited and have separate contractual relationships with Apple. I think a good idea would be to…
The article doesn’t mention Apple. Do these apps also do this on iOS?
iOS doesn’t provide a system-wide unique ID however there is still more than enough data (WiFi network names, device name, device type, IP address, etc) that Shitbook can uniquely fingerprint a device and identify a user.
Re: Apps sending users’ data to Facebook without their consent
#23Earlier quoted context omitted.
The article doesn’t mention Apple. Do these apps also do this on iOS?
Apple has a policy that apps (and their SDKs) must comply with IDFA, so if a user doesn't want to be tracked across the apps they use they can go to settings -> privacy -> advertising to turn off the tracking.
Doesn’t solve the issue of device fingerprinting. There are a lot of data points that can be used to create a near-unique fingerprint of a device.
Re: Apps sending users’ data to Facebook without their consent
#24So let's see here. There are apps that people download which, in a way, replicate themselves by enticing other people to download them often using some form of psychological engineering. These apps then compromise the person's data by streaming it to a server. The word "app" is frequently used, but these sound more like computer viruses with a friendly UI, no?
A virus self replicates without human interaction.
No, worms do that. Viruses must be spread. But of course, you can have hybrids, such as WannaCry.
Re: Apps sending users’ data to Facebook without their consent
#25Can add Agoda to that list.
I find it insane how I can visit Agoda in a private tab. Search for hotels. Visit 2 of the hotels. Then switch to Facebook and almost immediately get adverts for exactly those 2 hotels...
Re: Apps sending users’ data to Facebook without their consent
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
Check out NetGuard: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/eu.faircode.netguard/
Too bad it works by creating a local VPN - I'm already using "Block This!" to block ads on my device which also works via a VPN, so you can't use both at the same time.
I wonder if it's possible to create an app that creates a local VPN that routes through the other VPNs.