Looking at what apps can see on my phone really changed how I think about my data.

3 comments

3 Comments

Ever notice how some apps seem to predict your dumbest impulses? I once had a fitness app that shamed me for ordering pizza, like it knew I was about to bail on my run. My phone probably has a folder titled 'Brian's Bad Decisions' that it shares with every coupon app out there. It's kinda scary when you realize how much they track, but I guess I signed up for it by clicking 'agree' without reading. Now I'm paranoid every time my phone buzzes with a targeted ad for something I only thought about buying.

milas721mo ago

Used to laugh it off... now I get it.

oliver_young501mo ago

Yeah no kidding. My weather app pinged me about umbrella deals right as I left my house in a drizzle. Hadn't searched for umbrellas, it just knew my location and the forecast. Felt watched. Started noticing ads for the exact brand of chips I grabbed at the gas station last week. Phone hears everything, tracks everywhere. It's not predicting, it's just replaying your life back at you to make a sale.