Is your online shopping app invading your privacy?

Online shopping has become commonplace for many people. It's convenient, easy, and allows us to purchase items from the comfort of our own homes. With the rise of online shopping platforms, privacy and security concerns are also a concern.  

Not all online shopping apps are created equal. Often, people are impulsive and install an app without checking its privacy practices.  

Apps can collect more data on your smartphone than you think. Whether you use your phone for personal purposes, business purposes, or both, your data could be at risk. So could your privacy.  

Popular shopping app SHEIN's shady data collection practices

Recently, security experts discovered a popular online shopping app spying on users' copy-and-paste activity. This app tracked keystrokes, screenshots, and even GPS locations. This raises the question: Is your online shopping app invading your privacy?

SHEIN is the app in question, and it's an online shopping app popular with millions of users. According to reports, researchers discovered that the app was collecting data from users' clipboards. This included any text copied and pasted by users. This means that if the user copies and pastes sensitive information, the app will have access to it. This includes things like passwords or credit card numbers.  

Not only that, but the app was also found to be tracking users' GPS locations. SHEIN also collected data from the device's sensors, including the accelerometer and gyroscope. This meant the app was able to track users' movements, in addition to collecting information about how they used their device.  

The app's developers claimed that the data collection was intended to "optimize the user experience." This is a very vague explanation that is also used by other app developers. The developers stated that the collected data was only used for internal purposes. This explanation was not enough to satisfy privacy experts. These experts raised concerns about the app's data collection practices.  

Temu 's data collection practices called into question

This isn't the first time people have caught an app collecting data without users' knowledge. Many popular apps collect data from their users, often for targeted advertising purposes. The Temu shopping app has exploded in popularity recently. Since the app appeared in a 2023 Superbowl commercial, people have been flocking to it.  

Temu is another shopping app with questionable data collection practices. Some of the data collected by Temu includes:  

• Your name, address, telephone number
• Details you enter, such as your birthday, photos, and social media
• Your phone's operating system and version
• Your IP address and GPS location (if enabled)
• Your browsing data

So, what can you do to protect your privacy when using online shopping apps? Read on for some tips.

Tips to protect your privacy when using online shopping apps

Know what you're getting into (read the privacy policy)

Yes, it's hard to stop and read a long privacy policy when you just want to use an app. But if you don't, you could end up sharing a lot more than you realize.  

Before downloading an app, be sure to read its privacy policy. This will give you an idea of ​​what data the app collects and how it is used. You can try searching for keywords like "collect" and "your data" to save time. This can help you jump straight to the details of data collection.  

If you do this before downloading the app, you might end up changing your mind. After learning how much data the app collects from you, you might decide it's not worth it.  

Turn off sharing features

Turn off any data-sharing features you don't need in your phone's settings, such as location services. Most smartphones let you choose which apps you want to use it with. Explore both your phone settings and app settings to restrict data sharing as much as possible.  

Delete apps you don't use

If you don't use the app regularly, delete it from your phone. Having unused apps on your phone is a big risk. Even if they're not actively used, these apps can still collect your data. For example, browsing activity or your activity in other mobile apps.  

Research apps before downloading them

It's easy to get carried away by a trend: You hear your friend talking about an app and want to check it out.

It's worth doing some research before downloading. Research the app and check for security and data collection keywords. Do your research before downloading an app that could compromise your device's data and activity.  

Buy from a website instead

You can limit the dangerous data collection of online shopping apps by using a website instead. Most legitimate businesses have an official website. One where you can buy the same things you find on mobile apps.  

Improve the security of your mobile device

Mobile devices are regularly used more than computers, but they often lack the same type of security. Call us now to schedule a conversation about protecting your mobile device data.  

About Nexxo

Nexxo Computer Solutions specializes in providing IT and technology services to Quebec businesses. Its mission is to offer Quebec companies IT services tailored to their needs. Acting as an external IT department, it handles all of a company's IT tasks, allowing it to focus on its business activities. It achieves this by collaborating closely with its clients and putting their interests at the center of its concerns.