The smartphone apps collecting your personal data for their own benefit…
|
Rank |
App |
Percentage of personal data collected |
|
1 |
|
86% |
|
=1 |
|
86% |
|
3 |
Klarna |
64% |
|
4 |
Uber |
57% |
|
=4 |
Uber Eats |
57% |
*The full version of this data including all apps analysed can be found here.
Social media giant Meta takes the top two spots, with Facebook and Instagram being the apps which collect the most personal data for their own benefit, using 86% of user data to market their own products and show you relevant ads. A staggering 3.43 billion people used at least one of Meta’s products daily in Q1 of 2025.
Klarna comes third, collecting 64% of consumer data for marketing benefits. Last year, Sweden’s Administrative Court of Appeal fined Klarna over £570,000, for violating the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules. GDPR is a European Union law which aims to protect the personal data of individuals. It provides individuals with greater control over their data and ensures that organisations are held accountable for how they collect, use, and store personal information.
Uber and Uber Eats both collect 57% of personal data for their own marketing benefits. 156 million people used Uber in 2024, and about 95 million of those used Uber Eats. In 2024, Uber was hit with one of the largest GDPR fines ever issued by the Dutch Data Protection Authority at €290 million, for illegally transferring European taxi drivers’ personal data to the U.S.
The apps tracking the most data overall
|
Rank |
App |
Percentage of personal data tracked |
|
1 |
|
62% |
|
2 |
|
55% |
|
3 |
Uber Eats |
50% |
|
4 |
Trainline |
43% |
|
5 |
eBay |
40% |
Instagram tops the table for tracking the most personal data overall (62%), with its owner Facebook following closely behind, tracking 55%.
Uber Eats makes another appearance, as the popular food app tracks 50% of personal data.
Trainline is also in the top five, tracking over two-fifths (43%) of personal data. With over 96 million people using the website and app monthly, Trainline holds a mass of user data, and outlines how this is used in its privacy policy.
Global online marketplace eBay ranks fifth, tracking 40% of users’ personal data. The website has 134 million active buyers, and also hosts 18.3 million seller accounts. Back in 2014, eBay suffered a data breach which affected 145 million users, as hackers gained access to sensitive user information such as addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth. Events such as this highlight the importance of a strong and up to date security system when it comes to holding consumer data.
The apps sharing your data with third parties
Once again, Instagram and Facebook come out on top, as the apps share the highest amount of consumer data with third parties, 79% and 57% respectively.
LinkedIn and Uber Eats are third, sharing 50% of personal data with third parties. Last year, LinkedIn was hit with a €310 million fine from the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), which found that the company’s processing of personal data for analysis and targeted advertising was violating several aspects of the General Data Protection Regulation. Additionally, the DPC found that LinkedIn’s information provided to users on data processing activities was not clear or comprehensive, meaning it also failed to comply with transparency regulations, violating articles 13 and 14 of the General Data Protection Regulation.
Travel app Trainline and popular online video-sharing app YouTube both share over two-fifths (43%) of personal data with third parties.
Christoph C. Cemper, founder of AIPRM provides expert insight into the potential security risks involved in apps holding personal user data, as well as how to find out how much personal data our apps are collecting:
“There are inherent risks involved in having apps that collect and use our personal data. Cyberattacks and hacks are becoming more widespread and sophisticated, as hackers are consistently advancing their methods. Rapid digitalization and AI growth are just some of the factors contributing to a more complex global cyber threat landscape. Consequently, these apps are perpetually vulnerable , making robust and up-to-date security protocols and encryption absolutely vital. Failure to maintain these safeguards could allow malicious actors to succeed in accessing vast amounts of user data, potentially exposing individuals to fraud or identity theft.”
“Beyond external threats, apps may also violate privacy terms, often collecting more data than truly necessary and failing to fully disclose how it is being used. Meta for example, has been fined on various occasions for privacy violations concerning user data. A very small number of app users actually take the time to read privacy policies, leaving the majority totally unaware of how much personal data these apps collect, and how it is used.”
“If you want to know more about app data collection, a good place to start is by reviewing the privacy information on app store pages for both iOS and Android. This typically outlines the type of data collected by the app, as well as how it is used.”
“Most Android devices offer a privacy dashboard, which allows you to view the data apps have access to and allows you to manage your preferences. On Apple and iOS devices, the Privacy and Security section in your settings provides insight on which apps have access to data and are tracking it, with options to manage these permissions. Additionally, third-party services such as AppCensus can analyse your apps to reveal what data they collect and how it’s used, offering another layer of insight.”