Delete immediately: These 5 apps track you every step of the way

1. Not everyone needs to know where you are

   1. Fitness apps

2. Unnecessary extra apps

   1. Social media apps

   2. Navigation apps

3. Mobile Games

4. Protection through additional tools

The app store on your iOS or Android device offers a lot of applications that are useful in everyday life or just serve as a way to pass the time. But there are some apps that you should avoid. Many of them collect valuable data about you and thus compromise your privacy. One of the most sought-after pieces of information is your location.

The greatest danger comes from fake apps that are infected with malware and spy on your phone. But you shouldn’t just blindly trust reputable and widely used applications either. They also collect and evaluate your data. However, they don’t pursue any criminal goals that directly harm you. However, the manufacturers sell your data to third parties, who then display targeted advertising for you. Your location plays a crucial role in this.

Not everyone needs to know where you are

This evaluation of data takes place with your consent and is usually necessary for the applications to function properly. However, there are also apps that track you at every step using your activated location, even though this is not relevant to the actual function of the program. With such apps, it is worth considering uninstalling them, even if it is difficult. We will show you which types of software this can be the case with.

Fitness apps

Health apps have to collect a lot of data about you. Your fitness goals can only be achieved if they know about your sleep, diet and activities. Your location is also recorded when you run or cycle. If your fitness app comes from a relatively unknown manufacturer, this can have serious consequences.

The chances are much higher that this data will fall into the wrong hands. If that happens, strangers can use this information to quickly get an idea of ​​your everyday life and know exactly when you are not at home.

Therefore, take a look at your health app and check whether the manufacturer has taken all safety precautions. If this is not the case, we advise you to delete the application.

With so many useful apps on the market, it’s easy to forget that many tools are already pre-installed on your phone. Nevertheless, QR scanners, dictation software, calendars, calculators and flash apps are downloaded millions of times.

According to Reader’s Digest, such apps require access rights that are not relevant to their use, such as audio recordings or contact information. These small, unobtrusive tools collect your data and forward it to the developers. They then earn money with your information.

However, that is not the only problem. Such apps are known to be used to spread malware. Hackers offer the software in the Google Play Store, for example, and after installation, malware spreads across your phone.

Social media apps

Your location also plays an important role in social media. On Instagram or Facebook, you can mark where you are on photos and stories. But the function is also regularly used in messengers like WhatsApp when you share your current location with friends.

This may be practical, but it also poses risks. If you have a public profile, not only your friends but also dubious characters will know that you are not at home at the moment. In addition, the platforms often sell your location-based data to third parties.

Navigation apps

Logically, navigation systems need to access your location data so that you can get to your destination with the correct directions. Here, too, it is better to use apps from larger or more secure manufacturers.

But this is no guarantee that your data will not be misused. If the navigation app saves your location history, the manufacturers can also pass this data on to advertisers. They then know your typical routes and can therefore more easily manipulate your consumer behavior.

Mobile Games

Even fun games to pass the time are not innocent. One of the best-known examples is Angry Birds. As Entrepreneur reports, 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 US agency’s surveillance tactics. Developer Rovio Entertainment was not involved. The NSA simply hacked their servers. Although the game is now secure again according to the manufacturer, similar cases cannot be ruled out.

Not only your location-based data is collected by many applications, but also other personal information. Do you want to counteract this? With some tools, this is easily possible.

When you surf the Internet, many sites collect your data and use it to tailor advertisements to you. If you don’t feel comfortable with this and want to keep your data from third parties, it’s worth installing a VPN (Virtual Private Network). This type of service masks your IP address and redirects your data to secure servers.

This means you remain anonymous and no longer have to worry about your data falling into the hands of curious companies. In addition, you are protected from cyber attacks thanks to the secure internet connection. There are other reasons to use a VPN.

The most convincing feature for many is the ability to bypass country restrictions. For example, if you select a server in the USA, you automatically have access to the streaming services from Netflix and others there. Film and series fans can discover a wealth of content that is not available in Germany.

A VPN cannot help you find out in detail which of your data is being used by which application. However, there is software that you can use to track your digital footprint. Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection is one of these programs.

This practical tool tells you which company is collecting data from you and how they got it. This way, you can see at a glance which apps you should delete and which websites are sharing personal data. You can also object to the collection of your data directly in the program.

We are aware that many apps that use your location and probably also pass it on to third parties have become an indispensable part of everyday life. Deleting these applications is therefore not easy. But it is not necessarily necessary. You can also deactivate the location via the settings as long as you are not using the software.

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