TikTok, Temu, Alibaba Among Most Data-Hungry, Posing Major Privacy Risks for Users
LOS ANGELES – Incogni, a leading personal data removal service and data privacy company, today released a new study analyzing the data collection and sharing activities of the most downloaded apps in the U.S., zeroing in on those developed overseas. More than half of the top 10 apps were of Chinese origin and found to be extremely data-hungry, collecting an average of 18 data types from each user and sharing six of these with third parties.
This study reinforces widespread concerns about these apps’ approach to user privacy and transparency. Some apps leverage data for marketing and advertising purposes, feeding algorithms to calculate optimal prices based on consumer behavior, often leading to unwanted spending. Other apps share user data with unnamed third parties, increasing the risk of breaches with every additional recipient. Additionally, there is the threat of government appropriation of this data.
Incogni leveraged data collected from app store marketing and intelligence platform AppTweak over the past 12 months to determine the most downloaded non-American apps in the U.S., including Tiktok, Alibaba, Temu, SHEIN, ABPV (America’s best pics, vids), CapCut, AliExpress, DramaBox, Telegram and Talkie.
Key findings
- TikTok, the most data-hungry app on the list, collects 24 types of data (including user names, addresses and phone numbers) and shares six of these with third parties.
- Popular Chinese B2B marketplace Alibaba has access to user files and docs, videos and photos, as well as personal information like phone numbers, addresses and names.
- Chinese B2C marketplace Temu collects users’ approximate locations, installed apps, and other user-generated content.
- Chinese e-commerce platform SHEIN shares most of its collected user data (12 out of 17 data types, including phone numbers, names and photos) with third parties.
- Temu, Cyprus-based meme photo and video platform ABPV, and Chinese online retail service AliExpress all share users’ approximate locations with third parties.
- SHEIN, AliExpress and Alibaba share data with third parties for marketing purposes, likely contributing to increased spam emails.
“Many of these apps are quietly collecting and sharing personal information like names, addresses, and approximate locations, leaving users extremely vulnerable to third-party breaches," said Darius Belejevas, Head of Incogni. “People deserve to know how and where their information is being used, along with ways to manage or prevent that use."
About Incogni
Incogni helps people take control of their data by removing their personal information from various sources, such as data brokers or people search sites. Incogni provides a simple, user-friendly solution that prevents the data from being sold and reduces the likelihood of cybercrime and spam.
