'Free' apps, costly privacy: Experts warn of data-hungry downloads
The study, conducted with cybersecurity experts from Hexiosec, analyzed 20 popular Android apps spanning social media, online shopping, smart home, and fitness categories. The findings reveal that all of them requested "risky" permissions—such as access to users' microphone, location, and device files—raising significant privacy concerns.
While apps like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Amazon, and WhatsApp are marketed as free, Which? warns that users are often paying with their personal information. 'Millions of us rely on apps each day for everything from health tracking to shopping,' said Harry Rose, editor of Which? 'But our research shows that users may be surrendering vast amounts of data—often unknowingly.'
Together, the 20 apps have been downloaded more than 28 billion times globally. If installed on one device, these apps would collectively request 882 permissions. Among these, Xiaomi Home requested the highest number — 91 permissions in total, five of which were flagged as risky.
Risky permissions include those that allow apps to record audio, access precise GPS location, read internal files, or even overlay content on top of other apps—often without any clear user benefit.
Samsung's SmartThings app followed with 82 requested permissions (eight risky), with Facebook demanding 69 (six risky), and WhatsApp asking for 66 (six risky).
The apps that sought permission to draw over other apps—creating pop-ups—and those that activate when a phone is turned on, were also cause for concern. TikTok, for instance, requested 41 permissions (three risky), and YouTube sought 47 (four risky).
Xiaomi Home and AliExpress were the only two apps found to send user data to servers in China, including suspected advertising networks. While this was disclosed in both apps' privacy policies, experts noted the potential implications for user data security.
AliExpress requested six risky permissions, including precise location, microphone access, and file reading. It also sent users an overwhelming 30 promotional emails within a month, despite no specific permission request for email marketing.
Temu, another Chinese online retailer, was criticized for aggressively pushing users into subscribing to marketing emails—often without them realizing it.
The Which? team advised consumers to take several steps to safeguard their privacy:
Review privacy info: Check what data an app collects before downloading it via the app store listing.n
Read the privacy policy: Focus especially on sections detailing data collection and sharing.n
Limit or revoke permissions: On both Android and iOS, users can manage what data apps can access through Settings.n
Delete apps you don't trust: Uninstall apps you're unsure about, and make sure all associated account data is deleted.n
Some apps, like Ring and WhatsApp, may require microphone access for core functionality. However, the necessity of certain permissions—like tracking which apps are open or recently used—is questionable, the experts said.
Apps including Facebook, WhatsApp, AliExpress, and Strava were found to seek such permissions.
The research was conducted using Android devices; permission settings may differ for Apple iOS users.
In response to the findings:
Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) claimed none of its apps access microphones in the background without user consent.n
Samsung stated that all its apps comply with UK data protection laws and ICO guidance.n
TikTok emphasized that privacy and security are 'built into every product' and that it collects only essential information.n
Strava defended its use of precise location data as necessary to deliver its services, adding that it employs 'appropriate guardrails' for data usage.n
Amazon said its permissions enable features like visualizing products using the camera and voice search, with users having control over personalized ads.n
AliExpress stated that certain permissions are not used in the UK and require user consent, asserting compliance with privacy laws.n
Ring maintained that it doesn't use trackers for advertising and only uses permissions to enable features requested by users.n
Temu said GPS-based address completion is not used in the UK and that it handles user data in accordance with international standards.n
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