Bryan Keith Rohrer’s Post

The Real Cost of Free Apps: How Your Data is Being Sold There’s a hidden cost to every “free” service you use, and it’s more valuable than you think—your personal data. The Illusion of Free: Nothing in life is truly free. When you download a free app, you’re not the customer; you are the product. These apps make money by collecting, analyzing, and selling your data. What Data Are We Talking About? Your browsing habits, location, search history, contact lists, photos, messages, even your voice. These apps collect an enormous amount of information, often more than necessary for their functionality. This data is then sold to advertisers, data brokers, and even political campaigns. How It Works: Free apps often embed trackers and cookies in their code, silently gathering data as you use them. This data is then aggregated, analyzed, and sold. The Real Cost: Privacy Invasion: Your personal life is an open book to corporations. Security Risks: Your data can be hacked, leaked, or misused. Manipulation: Advertisers and political campaigns use your data to influence your decisions. Regulation and Responsibility: Current regulations like GDPR and CCPA are steps in the right direction, but they are not enough. Companies find loopholes and continue their data harvesting. What You Can Do: Be selective: Only download apps from trusted developers. Read privacy policies: Understand what data you’re giving away. Use privacy tools: VPNs, ad blockers, and privacy-focused browsers. Demand better: Advocate for stronger data protection laws. Final Insights: Free apps are not free. They cost you your privacy, security, and freedom. It’s time we demand transparency and take control of our digital lives. Don’t be a product; be informed. #DataPrivacy #DigitalSecurity #FreeApps #PrivacyProtection #TechNews #DigitalAwareness #CyberSecurity #DataProtection #PrivacyRights #TechEthics

🌟 The Real Cost of Free Apps: How Your Data is Being Sold 🌟 🚀 Excited to share this eye-opening insight! 🚀 Think free apps are truly free? 🤔 Think again! Your personal data is the hidden price you pay. Discover how your browsing habits, location, and even messages are collected and sold. Learn the real cost of “free” services and how you can protect your privacy. 💼🔒 🔗 Click to read the full post and take control of your digital life!👇 #DataPrivacy #DigitalSecurity #PrivacyProtection #TechNews #CyberSecurity #TechEthics

A good organisation will have a good privacy notice. Earlier this year we said app developers should meet their data protection obligations to be transparent with their users by being concise, clear and easily accessible. Signing up to an app often involves handing over large amounts of personal information, especially with apps that support our health and wellbeing. Users deserve peace of mind that their data is secure, and they are only expected to share information that is necessary. So, we're urging app users to check if they are clear about who the app is sharing their personal information with. We have lots of advice and guidance on our website to support your organisation get data protection right from the start: https://lnkd.in/epNsjYdA

Does privacy exist in the digital world anymore? Here are 4 unexpected apps that may be putting your personal data at risk. https://lnkd.in/ebeXa3xs #DataPrivacy #MobileAppWarning #espprojects

Does privacy exist in the digital world anymore? Here are 4 unexpected apps that may be putting your personal data at risk. For inquiries on how to fortify your business:📞 (404) 932-5940 or 📩[email protected] #DataPrivacy #MobileAppWarning https://zurl.co/UQg3

Does privacy exist in the digital world anymore? Here are 4 unexpected apps that may be putting your personal data at risk. https://lnkd.in/ejVkxaYS #DataPrivacy #MobileAppWarning #espprojects

Looking at this, I amazed that it took this long to flag Truecaller, I hadn't even thought about it, now that I have, my two cents; 1. Users consent to the terms of service, conditions of use and provisions on privacy. I thought immediately that this would amount to sufficient defence however, the Data Protection Act provides that consent should be; •INFORMED- Users must know what they are agreeing to, •FREELY GIVEN- Consent must be voluntary •SPECIFIC- It should be given for specific purposes •EXPLICIT- The user must give clear affirmations, especially when dealing with sensitive data The concern is, Truecaller collects data from 3rd Parties in the user's address books, these 3rd parties have not given their consent 2. Truecaller can say it collects 3rd party data as a legitimate interest, since its service is identifying unknown calls, potentially preventing fraud, spam calls and unwanted communication. Strictly, it would have to demonstrate that it's interest in protecting users outweighs the right to privacy for individuals who have not consented. 3. This is an interesting one as it will set precedence for mobile/computer applications that collect data from an individual. Surprisingly, LinkedIn is not registered as a data handler, should it be? What is the place of international law if Truecaller is registered as a data handler in its country of origin? While this looks clearcut it raises substantially questions of law, I believe the decision will cause a ripple effect for developers of mobile and computer applications going forth.

Does privacy exist in the digital world anymore? Here are 4 unexpected apps that may be putting your personal data at risk. #DataPrivacy #MobileAppWarning https://lnkd.in/gQzqbruQ

This brings to mind the practices of our mobile money operators, where it is possible to identify someone's identity by simulating a money transfer. The operator will respond with the full name associated with their national ID, allowing you to confirm or deny the transaction. While our mobile money operators have prioritized the security and accuracy of transactions, this approach raises concerns about the protection of individuals' privacy. #Dataprivacy #Personaldataprotection #PDPC

Does privacy exist in the digital world anymore? Here are 4 unexpected apps that may be putting your personal data at risk. https://lnkd.in/eaF9VV7c #DataPrivacy #MobileAppWarning #espprojects