Privacy Violations by Major Tech Firms
Recent investigations reveal that Meta and Yandex might be taking advantage of a local feedback loop in Android devices to gather personal information from users. This practice raises significant concerns regarding user privacy, as it seems to violate the trust users place in these platforms. An international research team led by Imdea Networks’ Internet Analytics Group uncovered that several native Android applications, including popular ones like Facebook and Instagram, as well as Yandex’s Maps and Search, are quietly monitoring fixed local ports on mobile devices.
This data collection happens without users’ consent and circumvents the privacy settings embedded in these applications. Such activities not only threaten user privacy but also highlight the pressing need for stricter regulations governing data collection practices in the tech industry.
