How to protect privacy? Apple App Store, Google Play Store have not done great job; check tip

tech.hindustantimes.com:

January 28 is globally celebrated as the Data Privacy Day. The origins of this day comes from the 1981 European treaty - Convention for the Protection of Individuals with Regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data. This was the first time in history that a governing body considered the need for data privacy in the light of rising connectivity and access to information due to technological advancements. The day was officially celebrated for the first time in 2007 by the Council of Europe and after that has become a symbolic day to speak on data privacy issues and challenges around it. On this occasion, HT Tech spoke with Anand Venkatanarayanan, chief financial officer at HasGeek. He explained how a user can protect their privacy while using “modern smartphones - the most privacy intrusive devices on Earth”. Depending on Apple App Store and Google Play Store to do so will not be very helpful, he indicates.

Venkatanarayanan is also a security researcher and writes on data privacy and data protection issues on his blog Fractal Reality. Explaining the problems with the modern smartphones, he said, “Like it or not, it is at the end of the day a device. And just like how you can put a virus in a computer and take it out, smartphones are no different”. But, does that mean users cannot protect themselves at all? To a certain extent, yes. But there are things everyone can do in order to preserve privacy and be more aware of how to ensure data protection.

Venkatanarayanan correctly calls out that “Most people cannot live without their smartphones”. And that is extremely true. Most of us are guilty of checking notifications on our phone first thing in the morning and the last thing at night - and most of the time in-between.