In a startling revelation, thousands of popular mobile apps have been caught up in a massive location data harvesting scheme through advertising networks, potentially exposing millions of users' sensitive location information without their knowledge.
The exposed data, obtained from location data company Gravy Analytics, reveals that apps ranging from games like Candy Crush to dating services like Tinder and health apps like MyFitnessPal may have had their users' location data collected through advertising systems rather than direct tracking code.
The list of affected apps spans both Android and iOS platforms and includes:
- Popular games: Candy Crush, Temple Run, Subway Surfers
- Dating apps: Tinder, Grindr
- Health apps: MyFitnessPal, period tracking apps
- Productivity apps: Microsoft 365
- Religious apps: Muslim prayer and Christian Bible applications
- Transportation apps: Moovit, Flightradar24
The data collection appears to occur through real-time bidding (RTB) - the process where companies bid to place ads in apps. Rather than app developers deliberately including tracking code, third parties can potentially intercept location data during this advertising process without the knowledge of users or app creators.
Security experts describe this as particularly concerning because neither users nor app developers may be aware of or able to prevent such data collection. The harvested information includes tens of millions of mobile phone coordinates from devices across the US, Russia, and Europe.
Many app companies named in the data, including Tinder and Muslim Pro, have stated they were unaware of any relationship with Gravy Analytics and did not authorize location data collection through their advertising networks.
The revelation raises serious privacy concerns, as this type of data collection can potentially expose sensitive information about users' daily movements and activities. The collected data could then be sold to various entities, including law enforcement agencies, through subsidiary companies.
Users concerned about their privacy may want to review their app permissions and consider using ad-blocking tools, though completely preventing such tracking through the advertising ecosystem remains challenging.
This story continues to develop as more companies respond to these findings and privacy experts analyze the implications of this widespread data collection practice.