Scrolling the phone in a leisurely mood remains one of our favourite pastimes. Maybe it has even replaced coffee breaks and conversations. But you sure know that your phone reveals much about yourself to the unknown, all without your consent.
It’s not the phones but the apps, many of which you’ve installed in good faith, that are the primary culprit.
Let’s admit it: unchecked data analytics and profiling infringing on privacy is the greatest scourge in this age. A recent in-depth study by Incogni, a leading data privacy firm, reveals that private data leaks have taken more dangerous dimensions of late.
Incogni’s researchers closely analysed the practices of the most popular apparel shopping apps from 59 countries, including those of the top-valued apparel brands in 2023, totalling 180 apps.
The top 10 free apps in the category for each country were noted by Incogni’s researchers for 2023. They distinguished between the top clothing brands based on valuation and filtered out those that provided apps to make purchases easier. The apps from these brands were added to the list for further examination, making 180 apparel apps.
The key points are highly unsettling:
- 45 out of the 180 investigated apps collect photos, 12 apps collect videos, 9 apps collect search history, and 6 apps collect information on sexual orientation.
- 24 apps share photos with third parties, 2 apps share sexual orientation, and 1 app shares health information.
- The greatest number of data points are collected and shared from customers by the most popular apparel apps in Oceania (15.9 and 8.7 data points, respectively), Europe (14.2 and 9 data points), and North America (12.3 and 8.1 data points). The map with a detailed breakdown is available under the link.
- Among the most popular apps (by valuation), Nike and H&M collect the most data points, including photos, videos, and even messages.
- Nike and H&M collect 18 data points each and are tied for the 7th most data-collecting app with 4 other apps.
- Nike, H&M, The North Face, Adidas, Victoria’s Secret, Moncler, Under Armour, PUMA, Levi’s, and UNIQLO US are the most popular apps by valuation. These apps gather an average of 14.4 data points and share an average of 8.5 data points from the following categories: location, financial information, personal information, health and fitness, messages, images and videos, audio files, files and documents, web browsing, app activity, and app performance.
- PUMA, Under Armour, The North Face, and H&M share a concerning amount of sensitive data with third parties for the purposes of advertising and/or marketing.
- In Oceania (15.9 and 8.7 data points, respectively), Europe (14.2 and 9 data points), and North America (12.3 and 8.1 data points), the most popular apps gather and share the greatest amount of data points from users.
The study reveals that fashion retailers and online clothing stores often entice users to use their apps, drawing them in with irresistible discounts and bonuses.
These transactions entail the sharing of personal data like names, addresses, and payment details to process the orders. So far, so good.
It’s the next step that ought to concern us. Unmindful of the consequences, we end up sharing sensitive information, such as sexual orientation and contact lists, which are revealed to third parties.
The optional data points were also identified by the researchers, giving consumers control over at least some sensitive information. While some data points are gathered to enhance the ordering process or shopping experience, others appear to be collected in excess of what is required to deliver the service.
Recently, The Data Security Council of India (DSCI) announced that it was keen to devise a data protection seal (DPS) to verify and check the secure use of people’s data by platforms across the country. The project, similar to the ISI mark that conforms to a product in accordance with the Bureau of Indian Standards, will help users know which companies are using their data safely and following the basic standards of data privacy.
Unless stringent policies are implemented, data exploitation will continue to be rampant and part of every industry’s arsenal. Even a gigantic social media platform like Facebook has been compelled to strengthen its data access permissions in various ways.
Expectedly, consumers are gradually demanding greater trust and transparency around how their data is used in applications they download, for an inconvenient truth stares them in the face.
