Everyone loves free stuff. However, everyone also knows that not many things are actually free. The internet is full of free things to offer. How free are free apps? Have you paused before downloading a free app? Do you ever pause to realize that when you download a free app, you give something in return, i.e., your personal information?
Why is your personal information important?
Information is a commodity. Facebook and Google offer free services but collect, sell and analyze user data on behalf of advertisers. The information we share for free is monetized in a big way. When using an app for free, you are giving away your valuable information in return.
Every time you download a free app, you generally share:
• Your browsing history
• Your SMS app
• Your contact list
• Access to your camera
• Access to manipulate your cookies
This data is analyzed and used to deduce the advertisement content of products that you are most likely to purchase.