These Android Apps Track You Without Your Consent

Google was able to confirm that over a million devices have apps that track their users without them knowing it. These apps collect data from their smartphones which can be used in a lot of different ways outside the user’s intentions. Here’s what we know about this issue.

According to Cnet, Google is already working on tracking down these apps and checking if they violate any of their rules on the data they collect. Google confirmed that they’re on a lookout for these apps to further protect Android users. “We take these issues very seriously, combining Ad ID (Advertising ID) with device identifiers for the purpose of ads personalization is strictly forbidden. We’re constantly reviewing apps -- including those in the researchers report – and will take action when they do not comply with our policies.” Google stated.

Google has recommended that developers should have their apps only track the Advertising ID for the apps they make. However, many apps go beyond tracking only these IDs and extend to also tracking the MAC address, IMEI and Android ID. These IDs are difficult and impossible to be changed by the users but are technically the device’s unique digital signature.

So far, the apps that are on Google's list are Angry Birds Classic, Audible, Flipboard, Clean Master, Cheetah Keyboard and Battery Doctor. The company also found that over half of 6,000 children’s apps are tracking more than enough data from their users, according to the New York Times.

The issue in obtaining all of these IDs is that the user cannot do the simple history clean function on their phone to keep sites from tracking them. What this does is that sites, programs and apps will keep recognizing you and your device regardless of what the user does to prevent it. Google sees this as a breach of privacy to their users. This could also be a potential security threat, provided that these sites have their the data compromised, which will not affect only the site but also the users it currently tracks.