There’s an app for everything! These apps bundle features together to make it more accessible to the mobile user. There are millions of apps, and they can be used for a multitude of purposes: travel, entertainment, social media, gaming, business, health and fitness, utilities and more!
The number of mobile users far outweighs the number of desktop users, so businesses must create apps in order to reach their customers. Apps can also be faster than websites. Since apps usually store their data locally on the mobile devices it enables swift retrieval of that data. This is one reason why it is very important that the user understand what the app is collecting and sharing.
Starting at the beginning.
You find an app on the app store (only download from a reputable application market). You download and begin the install. The app will ask you a series of questions as you install. Make sure you understand what the app needs in order to function properly. If it does not need a particular service, don’t allow it. Access it may request are:
- Location
- Camera and photos
- Contacts
- Ability to post to your social media accounts
- Ability to track your activities
- Send and receive SMS messages
If these requests are not necessary for the app to function, do not grant these permissions. If you find that you no longer use an app, make sure to delete it from your device. This will avoid unnecessary data collection. Keep your apps up to date. Out of date apps create a security risk.