Children Involved In Latest Data Collection Findings

In light of the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal, it seems people are beginning to question what their data is being used for. Mark Zuckerberg answered questions in front of Congress last week, to clear up questions about Facebook and what exactly happened during the biggest data breach the company has seen. So, if there are issues with data tracking online, what about our overused smartphones?

Whether or not Cambridge Analytica prompted organizations to take a deeper look into technology and data collection, many have. In fact, Android apps are the latest on the data collection chopping block. A study by the International Computer Science Institute (ICSI) revealed that over 3,000 of the 6,000 apps tested were potentially violating U.S. privacy laws that protect children under the age of 13 from invasive data collection. These apps are in potential violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA Laws).

But, possibly the scariest piece of information found during the study by ICSI was that over 250 of the apps were collecting data on the location of the child using the device, without a parents’ consent. The ICSI made a statement saying that though they cannot test every single app, they believe their findings are reliable since they tested majority of the most popular free apps in the Google Play store.

For more on the latest tracking app check out this article from JoyofAndroid.com: 5 Best Android Tracking Apps to Find It All