We tested 6 popular apps to see what data they collect and share. Here’s what we found

Résumé détaillé

Marketplace tested six of the most popular Android and iOS apps in Canada — Tim Hortons, PC Optimum, Weather Network, Facebook, Amazon and YouTube — to find out what data they collect and where it goes.

Whether you are buying a coffee, groceries, checking the weather or unwinding with an online video, there’s a free mobile app for just about everything.

But a Marketplace investigation shows the cost of this convenience is your privacy – and the data you’re sharing goes far beyond what you might realize.

Marketplace tested six of the most popular Android and iOS apps in Canada — Tim Hortons, PC Optimum, the Weather Network, Facebook, Amazon and YouTube — to find out what data they collect and where it goes.

To do so, Joel Reardon, an associate professor in the department of computer science, and his team at the University of Calgary scanned the network traffic of the apps on an Android device. Privo, an organization that evaluates apps to ensure they comply with U.S. child privacy laws, also did a scan of the apps on iOS, Apple’s operating system.

While doing scans to see the network traffic of mobile apps on Android, some apps appeared to be sending information to outside companies around the world. The network scan above shows the activity from all the apps on someone’s phone, not necessarily the apps Marketplace tested. (CBC)

But Reardon and Celeste Rollason, an independent analyst who used to work with Privo, are concerned some apps collect more than they need and are sharing what they learn with others around the world.

That data ranges from your name and email address to your exact whereabouts.

“To me, this is not the internet we wanted. This is not the internet we deserve. It's turned into a monstrous data collection surveillance system,” Reardon said.

Here’s what we learned about each app we tested, and what you can do to protect your data.

Début de l'article, extrait de CBC News. Pour lire la suite, ouvrez l'article chez le média.