A report into the data collection practices and privacy policies of four of the most prominent online companies has shown there’s more to worry about when it comes to Facebook and Google than either TikTok or Twitter.
Monash University Professor of Cyber Security Nigel Phair looked into the privacy policies and permissions requested by the four biggest names in social media and data collection.
His report, commissioned by TikTok, compared the companies across 40 different permissions and data points, finding Google was the most invasive, requesting 39.
Meta, the company that owns and runs Facebook and Instagram, requested 33, TikTok asked for 31 and Twitter requested 29.
In almost all cases, the permissions requested are at the control of users and anyone with the app installed can freely revoke those permissions at any time.
Phair’s report also analysed in great detail the privacy policies of each company, as well as major Australian banks and telecommunication companies, with a particular eye on overseas data sharing.
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He found the big four major banks and Telstra had policies that allowed for the sharing of personal data with overseas-based entities, including those in China.
Many Australians would be shocked to see how much data is collected by social media apps, as well as the kind of information that can be shared across borders without our knowledge.
This report, though commissioned by TikTok, does serve to highlight a greater need for understanding and education of Australian users when it comes to the granting of permissions for a range of social media apps.
Phair concludes his report that “a platform-agnostic approach is a necessary precondition to any mature discussion about contemporary privacy risks in the online environment”.
