By Lisa Cupido
Several apps can track you, and you may not even realize it’s happening. For these apps, the benefit of tracking you is that they can collect this data and use it to inform how they improve upon their own app. Knowing your browsing habits, for example, can give them insight into which of their features are most popular for users. But they can also use your data to sell it to third-party advertisers that then send you to targeted ads.
It’s difficult to pinpoint every app that is doing this, but here are 11 that are known for collecting data and tracking users.
1. Facebook
Not only does Facebook track what you are doing on its app, but it even tracks your browsing behavior when you aren’t using the app. This explains why you can Google a specific pair of shoes and see ads for those exact shoes five minutes later on Facebook.
2. Instagram
Like Facebook, Instagram is a Meta app that tracks your activity while you’re using the app, and also while you’re off of the app and browsing. It can even track your GPS location and IP address.
3. Google
Everything you search for on Google is tracked, as is what you watch on YouTube, your location on Google Maps and Google Photos, and the data in your images. If that isn’t bad enough, Google has millions of trackers on third-party websites and apps.
4. TikTok
TikTok features in-app tracking, off-app tracking, and uses this data to optimize its app, sell you targeted ads, and gather analytics for its many brands.
5. Snapchat
Snapchat collects your location and can even access it when you aren’t using the apps, if you’ve given it permission to do so. In Snap Map, it can show your location to friends unless you have it set to Ghost Mode.
6. Amazon
Amazon tracks what you buy and reorder, the products you view, the items you click on and add to your cart, and even your interactions with product reviews.
7. WhatsApp
WhatsApp is owned by Meta, and shares some of the same tracking practices as Instagram and Facebook. It tracks who you message, the time and date, your location, IP address, and device type.
8. X (Twitter)
X tracks your in-app activity, location data, device information, and then it tracks your behaviors across the Web so that it can send you targeted ads.
9. Uber
Uber tracks your location, trip data (like how long it took to get from point A to point B), your device information, and it stores your payment data.
10. Spotify
Spotify tracks your listening behaviour to improve its app and enhance your experience. It also logs your search queries, location, and device information.
12. Pinterest
Pinterest tracks your in-app activity, location data, behavioural data, and device info.
Feature Image Credit: Shutterstock
By Lisa Cupido
Lisa Fogarty is a lifestyle writer and reporter based in New York who covers health, wellness, relationships, sex, beauty, and parenting.
