Buzz
User privacy has become a significant topic of discussion lately. We all know tech giants like Google and Apple gather user data to enhance their products and services. However, what remains unknown is the extent of data collected.
Douglas Leith, a researcher at Trinity College in Ireland, recently conducted a study. Using a Google Pixel 2 running Android 10 and a jailbroken iPhone 8 running iOS 13.6, Leith aimed to determine the amount of data Android and iOS send to their parent companies, Google and Apple, respectively. The study compared both platforms and found that while both continuously send data to their parent companies, Android gathers more data from users to send to Google than iOS does.
According to the researcher, both platforms begin collecting data immediately after device boot. Data collection occurs even when users are not logged in or performing simple actions like inserting a SIM card or browsing through device settings. Furthermore, Leith's study shows that both Android and iOS devices connect to their respective back-end servers every 4.5 minutes, even when inactive.
Currently, it's not just the OS sending data to servers, but also pre-installed system and app counterparts. Research indicates that iOS apps like Safari, Siri, and iCloud autonomously transmit data to Apple's servers. Similarly, Android apps such as Google Docs, Google Messenger, SafetyHub, and the Google Search Bar send data to the Mountain View giant.
Additionally, Douglas Leith conducted experiments in various scenarios. In a device boot experiment, Android was found to send about 1MB of data to Google, whereas iOS sent less data to Apple upon boot, approximately 53KB. Every 12 hours, Android was detected sending 1MB to Google, while iOS sent around 52MB of data in the same timeframe.
Google has refuted the researcher's findings, claiming Leith employed inaccurate methodologies for testing. The company also asserts data collection is a core function of any Internet-connected device.
On the other hand, Leith mentions that data collection is all about the users, as the gathered data is linked to usernames, email addresses, payment card information, and other devices owned by users. Furthermore, continuous device connectivity exposes IP addresses. Consequently, companies always know the exact geographical location of users using their devices.
