By now, it’s not exactly a secret. Some mobile apps have a habit of oversharing — that is, gathering up their users’ personal information and giving it to advertisers and marketers.
But a new report released on Tuesday looks closely at how that information is shared — and exactly what it’s used for.
The report, from the Norwegian Consumer Council, pointed a finger at some of the world’s most popular Android apps, including dating services like Grindr, Tinder, and OkCupid.
Here’s the bad news: The report called their data-sharing practices “out of control.” And there’s not much you can do about it.
Tech companies should be on the lookout. The report suggested that stricter enforcement is an effective way to bring more order to the Wild West of data sharing.
To that end: The council said it had filed complaints asking regulators to investigate Grindr and others for possible violations of the European privacy law known as GDPR.