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Forget Beijing, its US shopping apps that are sucking up your privacy  and
Amazon is the most data-hungry

Date:
Thu, 20 Nov 2025 14:26:16 +0000

Description:
Surfshark's latest research warns that US apps are outstripping Chinese apps
in data collection. Here's all you need to know.

FULL STORY

Are you scrolling through US shopping apps to find the best deals ahead of 
the Black Friday frenzy? Then you might want to know their reputation for 
data harvesting is wretched -- outpacing even that of their often-criticised
Chinese counterparts.

This is the finding from the latest research conducted by Surfshark . The
cybersecurity company examined the data collection practices of the 10 most
popular shopping apps in the US, finding that the four most aggressive data
harvesters are all based in the US, surpassing Chinese competitors in the
breadth of data collected. 

Surprise, surprise: Amazon takes the spot as the most data-hungry app ,
collecting 25 unique types of data in the categories scrutinised. Walmart and
Costco follow with 23 each, while Whatnot collects 20. In stark contrast,
China's largest collector, Alibaba, collects only 19 types of data, followed
by Temu with 17. 

The creator of one of the best VPNs analysed 35 different types of data
gathered for purposes such as product personalization, third-party
advertising, and data analysis. The team also assessed how many categories
were ticked by each app by examining public information on the Apple App
Store. 

All of the apps analyzed vacuum vast amounts of users personal details,
including payment details, used ID and search history, with most also
collecting phone numbers, photos, and videos. 

However, only Amazon and Walmart collect information classified as
'sensitive,' and that can include political opinions, ethnic origin, and
biometric data. Together with Whatnot and Alibaba, its unsettling to know 
they could also collect voice or audio recordings.

A dangerous trade-off

Although it is reasonable to assume that Amazon, the Western world's largest
marketplace, gobbles an insatiable amount of data to sharpen its
personalisation algorithms  including strictly personal data of all sorts  
the results reveal a worrying potential. 

And while the research itself is based on standardised categories that do not
represent a uniform level of risk, the study alerts users that they may not 
be aware of what sort of information they actually give away when they open 
an app  or where it could end. 

Surfshark warns that continuous tracking, permanent storage of digital data,
and security risks such as data leaks and breaches could expose information 
to third parties and malicious individuals. 

Additionally, health-related data could be used in ultra-targeted advertising
to exploit people at their most vulnerable. "The leakage of particularly
sensitive data, such as political opinions or health data, can damage a
person's reputation and financial situation, as health data rarely changes 
and can be used by insurance companies and healthcare providers," Luis Costa,
research lead at Surfshark, explains. 

Shopping apps can also gather sensitive information by tracking how users
interact with them -- and not only when users choose to share them.

"By analysing your searches, purchases, and location, apps can learn about
your interests and habits," Costa tells TechRadar.  "Sometimes, they could
combine this information to guess personal details like your political views
or health status, often to personalise your app experience." 

Ultimately, with more information exposed, it becomes easier to replicate a
digital profile of any person, thereby putting everyone at risk, the expert
warns.

How to stay safe 

Your last-minute Black Friday or Christmas bargain may not be worth these
hidden costs. 

For a better-safe-than-sorry experience, simply do not download the apps  or
at least read the privacy policy and strengthen your account security, for
example, by using two-factor authentication . 

======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/forget-beijing-its-us-shopp
ing-apps-that-are-sucking-up-your-privacy-and-amazon-is-the-most-data-hungry

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