Apple has been observed to be taking steps to ensure their user’s data is secured and cannot be used by third parties without their consent through their App Tracing Transparency feature. It seems like a brilliant idea on paper but we have yet to see how it is implemented. On the flip side, while Google has not released any statements about the feature unlike Facebook, it seems that the company has no plans on jumping aboard the data privacy train.
Study Reveals Major Data Sharing Carried Out by Google
It is no surprise that Android smartphones and iPhones send user data back to Google or Apple. A recent study has revealed that out of the two Google receives as much as 20 times more data from Android than Apple from its iOS platform.
Researcher Douglas Leith reveals in ArsTechnica Report that suggests that Google’s Android collects a lot more information than Apple’s iOS. The comparative study shows that both iOS and Android send data to the companies when a user does even the most mundane tasks such as inserting a SIM card or browsing the smartphone’s screen settings and more. The research further uncovered that even when these devices are not in use, they connect to their end server every 4.5 minutes approximately.
As of now, there are no strict rules or laws that prevent companies from collecting data or sharing it with third parties. Consequently, data is not just shared from the operating systems but happens through applications and services as well.
It was discovered that iOS automatically sent Apple data from Siri, Safari, and iCloud, Android collected data from Chrome, YouTube, Google Docs, Safetyhub, Google Messenger, the device clock, and the Google search bar. That is a lot of data being shared and is a complete violation of user’s data rights since the information is shared without their consent or any form of approval.
Google’s Response
After the publication of this study, Google released a statement that bashed the study and claimed that the researcher team used “faulty” methods for measuring the data retried. It further added that data collection is a vital part f any connected device.
Bottom Line
As stated at the beginning of this article, it comes as no surprise that companies such as Google and Apple collect user data. However, Apple seems to be the leading data rights advocate these days which makes Google’s data-sharing policies into question. No further comets or statements were made by either company regarding the study’s findings.
In other news, there seems to be a surge in utility apps specifically gallery cleaner applications on PlayStore. It seems the increase in demand is finally being met, with more people confined to the homes they require apps to sort and organizing their devices without any hassle.