Download-happy warned: Apps could be invading your privacy

One in every five users of phone applications could be “signing away” his or her privacy because of his or her failure to read and understand the license agreements and conditions provided.

Citing results from its latest survey, cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab said 20 percent of consumers polled never read license agreements when installing apps. These consumers simply go through the motions of clicking “next” and agreeing to the terms without understanding what they signed up for.

“Internet users are entrusting their devices with sensitive information about themselves and others—such as contacts, private messaging, etc., yet they fail to ensure that their information is entirely safe. This can turn their devices into their digital frenemies,” said David Emm, principal security researcher at Kaspersky Lab.

“Because they are not taking precautions when they install apps, many consumers are granting permissions [for these apps] to intrude on their private lives, watch what is stored on their devices and where they are, install additional unwanted apps and make changes to their devices, right from the moment of installation,” he said.

Kaspersky Lab’s “Are you cyber savvy?” survey polled 18,507 respondents, including 1,394 from the Philippines, about their online habits and found that an alarming number of consumers are leaving their privacy vulnerable to cyber threats.

The survey discovered that about 43 percent of users could be at risk from  intrusions because they were not “cyber-savvy” enough to limit the data that app creators were allowed to access.

The survey also showed 15 percent of the respondents do not limit what their apps can do on their phones at all; 17 percent give apps permissions when prompted, but then forget about it; while 11 percent think they can’t change those permissions.

When app permissions are left unchecked, it is possible—and legal even—for apps to access the personal and private data on mobile devices, from contact information to photos and location data.