If your personal data is important to you, you should take a closer look at the apps on your smartphone. Some of them turn out to be data octopuses.
More apps than you suspect follow you at every turn. (Source: Panthermedialler /depositphotos.com)
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Surpropited extra apps
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Social-Media-Apps
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Fitness-Apps
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Navigations-Apps
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Mobile Games
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Protection by additional tools
Regardless of whether you use a smartphone from Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei or an iPhone, they have one thing in common all mobile devices: you can install countless apps on them. In the corresponding app stores there are applications that are helpful in everyday life or serve as a mere pastime.
But be careful, some of these programs collect disproportionate data about you. Unconsciously, for example, you give access to your location, your photo gallery or your contacts. Anyone who believes that this would only apply to dubious apps is wrong. There are also popular and widespread programs that follow any of your steps.
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So it is advisable to take a closer look at the apps on your iOS or Android device. Look in the settings whether you can adjust the access rights without restricting the range of functions. If this is not the case, you should think about uninstallation, even if it is difficult. We show you what kind of software this can be the case.
With the many useful apps on the market, you quickly forget that many tools are already pre -installed on your cell phone. Nevertheless, QR scanners, dictation software, calendar, calculator or flash apps are downloaded millions of times.
Sea Reader’s Digest require such apps access rights that are not relevant for use. Like audio recordings or contact information. The small, inconspicuous tools collect your data and forward them to the developers. These then earn money with your information.
However, this is not the only problem. Such apps are known to be exploited as the spread of malware. Hackers offer the software, for example, in the Google Play Store and after installation, malware spreads on your cell phone.
Your location also plays an important role on social media. On Instagram or Facebook you can mark in photos and story where you are. But the function is also used regularly in messengers such as WhatsApp if you share your current location with friends.
That may be practical, but also harbors dangers. If you have a public profile, not only your friends know, but also dubious shaping that you are currently not at home. In addition, the platforms are happy to sell your location -related data to third -party providers.
Fitness-Apps
Health applications have to collect a particularly large number of data about you. Only if you are informed about your sleep, your diet and your activities can your appropriate fitness goals be reached. Your location will also be recorded when running or cycling. If your fitness app comes from a rather unknown manufacturer, it can have a serious consequences.
The chances are significantly greater that this data gets into the wrong hands. If this happens, strangers can quickly get an idea of your everyday life based on this information and know exactly when you are not at home.
So deal with your health app and check whether all safety precautions are taken from the manufacturer. If this is not the case, we advise you to delete the application.
Navigations-Apps
Logically, Navis have to access your location data so that you can also get your goal with the correct directions. Here, too, you should better fall back on apps from larger or secure manufacturers.
But that is also not a guarantee for the misuse of your data. If the navigation app saves your location, the manufacturers can also pass on this data to advertisers. These then know your typical routes and can therefore also manipulate your consumption behavior more easily.
Mobile Games
Even funny games for the pastime are not innocent. One of the most famous examples of this is Angry Birds. How Entrepreneur reported, the popular skill game was used by the NSA to spy on the owners of the app.
This came to light when Snowden published the surveillance tactics of the US authority. Developer Rovio Entertainment was not involved. The NSA simply chopped their server. According to the manufacturer, the game is safe again, but similar cases cannot be excluded.
Not only your location -related data is collected by many applications, but also other personal information. Do you want to counteract this? This is possible without any problems with some tools.
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When surfing the Internet, many pages collect your data and use them to tailor advertisements. If you do not feel comfortable with it and want to withhold your data from your data, it is worth installing a VPNS (virtual private network). With such a service, your IP address will be veiled and your data will be redirected to secure servers.
So you remain anonymous and safe. In addition, no longer has to fear before the data espionage. You are also protected from cyber attacks thanks to the secured internet connection. There are other reasons that speak for a VPN.
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In addition to finding out which your data is used in detail from which application, a VPN cannot help you. However, there is software with which you can track your digital footprint. Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection is one of these programs.
The practical tool tells you which company collects data from you and how you get to it. So you can see at a glance which apps you should better delete and which website will pass on personal data. You can also object to the collecting of your data directly in the program.
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We are aware that many apps that use your location and probably also pass on to third parties have become an integral part of everyday life. Deleting these applications is therefore not easy. But it is also not necessarily necessary. You can also deactivate the location via the settings as long as you do not use the software.
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