The Android apps of online shopping giants eBay and Amazon harvest more data than other popular shopping apps, according to a study by Atlas VPN. These apps even collect sensitive information like your location and financial data.
Atlas VPN’s team assessed 60 Android shopping apps for this study. They found that 75% of them share user data with third parties (other companies). Up to 58% of these apps share users’ names, email addresses, phone numbers, and home addresses, while 28% share precise or approximate user locations. Some even share your personal files and messages.
In stark contrast, the Android app of department store Kohl’s doesn’t collect any user data.
“In today’s digital age, your personal information is being extensively collected by apps and shared with countless firms. This holiday season, approach all apps aware your data is being collected,” Atlas VPN said.
Amazon and eBay: Data Collection Champs
eBay stands out for harvesting more data than other Android shopping apps, collecting 28 different data points, while Amazon follows closely, gathering 25 data points across a wide spectrum of 11 data types. This includes names and addresses, financial details like payment methods, and location data.
The “buy now, pay later” app Afterpay, which placed third on the list of Android shopping apps that collect the most data, goes a step further by sharing sensitive information — including in-app messages and credit scores — with third parties.
The other shopping apps on Atlas VPN’s list include the Android apps of popular brands like Lowe’s, Home Depot, iHerb, Alibaba.com, Vinted and Poshmark, Nike, OfferUp, Wayfair, Craigslist, ASOS, and H&M.
According to Atlas VPN, shopping apps share loads of data with third parties “behind the scenes,” ranging from names and addresses to device IDs (unique numbers used to identify devices everywhere), financial information, and location data.
“Even photos and videos are exchanged with third parties by 18% of the apps. Some apps (7%) go as far as to share in-app and SMS messages or emails. Health and fitness information was found to be shared by 2 apps, while files and docs, audio, contacts, or web browsing data each shared by 1 app,” Atlas VPN’s blog post said.
How to Shop Safely Online
As Christmas approaches and millions turn to their phones and tablets for holiday shopping, consumers must be aware of these privacy risks.
Besides collecting vast amounts of user data, a recent report from cybersecurity firm CyCognito revealed that many e-commerce sites lack basic security. This puts shoppers in the crosshairs of hackers and other threat actors.
Atlas VPN urged shoppers to read privacy policies carefully, be mindful of the permissions that apps request, and prioritize safe shopping practices. Read our guide to shopping online safely for more cybersecurity tips.
For this study, the Atlas VPN team examined the Google Play app profiles of 60 popular shopping apps to understand their data collection practices. The apps were picked from App Figures’ top Android shopping application charts for 2023.
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