While it's no secret that app authors collect various data about their users, it's a much bigger problem with educational apps because they're often used by children. With the start of the year approaching, Atlas VPN took a look at popular educational apps to see how much they infringe on users' privacy.
Web survey shows that 92% collect data about users androidof educational applications. The most active in this direction is the language learning application HelloTalk and the learning platform Google Classroom, which collect user data across 24 segments within 11 data types. A segment is a data point, such as a phone number, payment method, or exact location, that is grouped into broader types of data, such as personal data or financial informace.
The second place in the ranking was taken by the popular language learning app Duolingo and the communication app for teachers, students and parents ClassDojo, which collects informace about users across 18 segments. Behind them was the subscription education platform MasterClass, which collects data on users from 17 segments.
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The most frequently collected type of data is name, e-mail, telephone number or address. 90% of educational apps collect this data. Another type of data is identifiers that relate to the individual device, web browser and application (88%). informace about the app and performance, such as crash logs or diagnostics (86%), in-app activity, such as search history and other apps the user has installed (78%), informace about photos and videos (42%) and financial data such as payment methods and purchase history (40%).
More than a third of apps (36%) also collect location data, 30% audio data, 22% messaging data, 16% files and documents data, 6% calendar and contacts data, and 2% informace on health and fitness and internet browsing. Of the apps analyzed, only two (4%) collect no data at all, while two others provide no information about their data collection practices informace.
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While the vast majority of apps have been found to collect user data, some go further and share user data with third parties. Specifically, 70% of them do so. The most frequently shared type of data is personal informace, which is shared by almost half (46%) of applications. They share the least informace on location (12%), on photos, videos and audio (4%) and messages (2%).
Overall it can be said that although some collected user informace may be necessary to serve these educational applications, Atlas VPN analysts have found many data collection practices to be unreasonable. An even bigger problem is that most apps share sensitive data with third parties, including location, contacts and photos, which can later be used to create a profile about you or your children.
How to minimize the data you share with apps
- Choose your applications carefully. Before installing them, read all about them in the Google Play Store informace. Both Google Play and the App Store provide informace about what data the application collects.
- Don't post real informace. Use a fake name instead of your real name when logging into the app. Make sure you're using an email address that doesn't include your real name. Otherwise, provide as little information as possible about yourself.
- Adjust the application settings. Some applications provide the ability to limit some of the data collected. It is also possible to turn off (in phone settings) some app permissions. Although some of them may be necessary for the operation of the application, others may not have such an effect on its operation.
