In the News
Facebook continues to receive third–party data on its users. In Some major Android apps are still sending data directly to Facebook, Nick Statt at The Verge discusses how the Yelp, Indeed, and Duolingo app, among others, send user data to Facebook for ad-targeting purposes. Statt explains that many apps have stopped sharing their user’s data with Facebook, but that the practice has not been universally stopped.
Our Take
The three apps specified, Yelp, Indeed, and Duolingo are all frequently used by college students and young adults. While these apps are used for a specific purpose, many of their users are unaware of their data sharing practices. This leads to issues regarding user consent and the increasing concern over data sharing rights and ethics. Some app users may be okay with Facebook obtaining information to target them with more personal ads, but many users do not want this experience and may view the practice as a violation of privacy. As more and more companies decide to eliminate the practice of sharing user data with Facebook, users can choose to use or not use apps accordingly. Additionally, users should be cognizant of this data sharing reality when using all apps: think about what you are sharing on your accounts before you add new, personal information or make a new post.
Recommendations
How can you protect your personal data’s privacy when using digital applications?
- Understand the risks of putting your personal information into the world, and only share what you have to
- Don’t reuse your account passwords, and take advantage of multi-factor authentication whenever possible
- Carefully read the terms & conditions of an app before agreeing to them
- Knows your rights when it comes to data privacy