Social Media Collects the Most Information From Users: IFT

The Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) confirmed that social networks are the ones that know us best, according to the report User Information Privacy on the Use of Digital Services. Among the data social networks collect are names, email addresses, GPS location, contacts, IP addresses and cookies.

The report details that all the analyzed companies dealing with operating systems, smartphones, social networks, e-commerce platforms, ride-hailing and streamings services share the information they collect from users with partners, third parties, affiliates and others who use it for their own purposes.

#ComunicadoIFT El @IFT_MX publica el informe Privacidad de la Información de los Usuarios en el Uso de Servicios Digitales, donde se destaca que las redes sociales son las que más información recopilan de los usuarios >>> https://t.co/Qr3mZVbukg pic.twitter.com/85ap0SVApL

— IFT (@IFT_MX) June 15, 2020

Privacy policies of social network internet pages such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter were considered for this research, along with those of smartphones brands including Apple, Motorola, HTC, Samsung and Huawei; ride-hailing applications such as Cabify, Waze and Uber; streaming services like Claro Shop, Netflix, Spotify and Deezer and e-commerce and operating systems like Android, iOS, Amazon and Mercado Libre.

"The objective of the report is to make available in a clear and transparent way the privacy policies to which the user is subject when using operating systems, smartphones, social networks and digital services that enable the provision of services such as e-commerce, ride-hailing and entertainment,” says the report.

Earlier this month, FaceApp, the Russian-born app that became popular on social media for showing people how they would look like when they got older, released its updated terms of use. The company claims that although the photos are removed after 48 hours, they are also encrypted to process them. To use the application it is necessary to give permission to certain functions such as the camera and direct access to the reel where the images are stored on the mobile device.

According to a PCWorld study, 74 percent of Mexicans claim to have tried to remove private information from websites or social networks. However, 43 percent admit that they do not know how to do it. In addition, 32 percent of Mexicans also say they are concerned about the personal data collected by the apps they use on their mobile devices.

A Piece of Advice

The institute gave several recommendations that users should follow before, during and after using those services.

• Before subscribing or using digital applications, terminal equipment or services, compare them and assess how these protect to a lesser or greater extent the privacy of personal information.

• Read the privacy policies that each company manages before using its services and consult the terms and conditions of the platform or equipment.

• Use privacy configuration mechanisms to make sure information is visible only if you want it to be.

• Avoid registering on unofficial or unknown websites where they request personal information.

• Before uploading photos and videos, liking content and registering credit cards, inform yourself about the treatment that will be given to said information.