Cybersecurity

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Insurance company accused of using secret software to illegally collect and sell location data on millions of Americans (www.malwarebytes.com)

submitted 2 weeks ago by kid to c/cybersecurity

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

It’s my understanding that the “secret software” is not the app itself, but code embedded into the app, that track your location and send it back to Arity. And it’s not one particular app, but many apps that were paid to add the code.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Well yeah. The apps main advetised purpose isn't going to be "we track you and sell the data". Every giant corporations app has tracking software embedded in it.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

We shouldn't just roll over and take it though. I can't tell if you're saying "we should know better, of course they're all doing this shit" - which I agree with - or closer to "it's their app(s), they can do what they want, and we shouldn't expect them to be transparent", which I very much disagree with.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago

Im definitely in the first camp.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I’m going to go out on a limb and say you’re not understanding: it’s not only the insurance company’s app doing the tracking; it’s potentially any app that asks for location data.

Sometimes apps ask permission to use your location data and you find yourself wondering, why does this app need to know where my phone is?

This is one possible reason.

Whenever you are asked to share your location data with an app and there’s no clear reason why you might need to, deny the app that permission.

I’ll concede that maybe it’s me that is not understanding. 😊

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Yes, that's why it's not "secret software". They all do it.