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You may think you know all of the apps that are crushing your battery power and snatching your data. But there are a few super popular apps that are likely not on your radar and are as worthy of your attention as Facebook or Facebook Messenger (worse, maybe, because at least you expect social media apps to be taxing on your device). The more you know about the apps that are stalling your phone or compromising your security, the better. And this is the popular app tech experts say you shouldn’t have on your iPhone because it shares your data.
Minecraft
It may seem like an innocent and fun distraction. But Minecraft is one such app that was surprisingly sending user data to its servers and third-party servers, according to Daniela Sawyer, Founder and Business Development Strategist of FindPeopleFast.net.
“The game app was found to send the data to AppsFlyer, which is a mobile analytics organization,” Sawyer says. “Microsoft, the company behind Minecraft, has no clear indication regarding this behavior, and the support staff also do not comment on this matter. When these apps share our data in such a secret manner, many questions arise regarding their intention and credibility. The data transmitted can be used in several ways that may be harmless as well as harmful.”
Robert Stevens, founder and chief editor at whichmountsubwoofer.com, says there are a slew of security flaws and website monitoring that Chrome users are subjected to. “What Google Chrome gathers on you and how much it knows about your browsing behavior may surprise you,” Stevens says. “Most internet services and apps are open about data collecting, and some even allow users to disable certain features. However, it appears that browsers like Chrome are sloppy with your data, particularly when it comes to monitoring your movements.”
The good news is that there are some alternate browsers that are much more confidential. “One such browser is Apple Safari,” Stevens says. “Safari places a significant emphasis on security and privacy issues. Safari protects you from phishing and malware schemes by blocking cross-site tracking and dangerous websites. You can also choose to have it block pop-ups.”
Don’t wait — make the switch from Chrome to ensure your phone is the most secure it can be.