I came across an interesting article today that talks about your cell phone privacy, or lack there-of. It seems that while you and I sleep, our phones, iPhones, Androids, whatever, are busy with apps sending data to…who knows where? A bit of a dramatic statement, but the effect is more dramatic. It seems that your apps do some background data mining on you and your life. They send data from your phone, tracking your activity and identity back to the apps…at night! And that data goes towards whatever that app service wants to do with it.
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WASHINGTON POST
Consumer Tech Perspective
It’s the middle of the night. Do you know who your iPhone is talking to?
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Is it absolutely a bad thing that the many apps you sign up for, even pay for, might use your private information?
I’m going to leave that answer up to you. There may be some benefits to app data sharing. Better service based on your trends or habits, possibly being one? Familiarity with your personal needs and interests? Maybe! But I suppose where things go wrong is when that data is out there and at risk from hackers, unethical third party and unknown third party accessors’ of your app provider.
I, like you, love my phone and the great things it does for my daily life. But I, unlike you, have been out in the world where cybercrime, espionage, and hostile intelligence activities are the norm. There are so many difficult to anticipate risks borne into being connected. There are so many ways in which your data can be abused when in the wrong hands. There can be no question that your data may be abused even with those apps and services that you actively agree to use.
The message I am trying to get out there to you is “be aware” and try, try to be in charge of your life and security. Know what needs to be and can be known about how things work in your connected life. If you make a risky choice, be aware and own it. If you do not want the risk, take action.