The Hit List: 7 Apps You Should Delete for Better Privacy

As sad as it sounds, the old saying still stands: if you’re getting something for free, you’re the product. And that couldn’t be any more true today. Most apps don’t just give you a service; they also collect your data. 

Of course, sometimes that’s obvious and necessary. A maps app needs your location to navigate. A messaging app needs your contacts or phone number to connect you with people. But the real privacy problem usually starts when an app collects far more than it has any reason to — and then uses that information for advertising, analytics, profiling, or other forms of tracking.

That’s what makes privacy conversations around popular apps so frustrating. The issue is that these are some of the best apps in their category. The problem is that they often ask for more access and gather more information about your life than many people would knowingly agree to if it were explained in plain English.

So if privacy matters to you, read on for 7 apps that you should probably avoid and delete as soon as possible.