Redditor finds out that all free iOS apps are tracking users and leaking data
As an experiment, he installed just one free game on a completely clean iPhone with factory settings. The app immediately started sending data to third-party servers.
Here's what was leaking:
- Geolocation via Wi-Fi. When the geolocation service was disabled on the device;
- Technical data of the device (model name, battery level, screen brightness, amount of free space, and even devices that are connected to the phone);
- IP address;
- Personal data (full name, phone number, email, physical address, year of birth);
- IDFA device identifier used to track users between apps;
The author intentionally disabled tracking in the settings, but the data was still leaked, including to advertising platforms, without the user's consent.
It is also interesting that this information is most likely already up for sale along with millions of data from other devices, because databases are updated in real time and cost tens of thousands of dollars 0 reply
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