Apple collects least amount of user data while Google tops the list

Apple has always emphasised how it is a privacy-focused company. Be it the company website or an iPhone advertisement, the word “Privacy” is one of the most highlighted parts. Apple calls privacy a “fundamental human right” and if the latest study is anything to go by, the iPhone-making company might be serious. A new study has revealed Apple collects less user data than its rivals, such as Google and Meta.

StockApps, a stock trading app and market analysis platform, has published a study, revealing that Apple is the most committed to protecting user privacy out of five major digital firms, namely, Google, Twitter, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple. It collects and stores only the information that is necessary to maintain users’ accounts. In the list, Apple is at the lowest position with 12 points. Apple does not have a search engine or a social media website or an all-purpose shopping website, which is why it does not need additional data on customers, much like Google, Meta, and Amazon.

According to the study, each of the five data firms focuses on a particular data category instead of the quantity. Google collects more different data types for its users than others. That is why it is at the top of the list with 39 points. Google relies heavily on targeted advertising, more than third-party trackers. Google also stores on several domains, so much so that it may know even your browser history. “If it is data, there is a strong possibility that Google is collecting it,” said StockApps.

At the second position on the list is Twitter with 24 points, followed by Amazon with 23 points. Surprisingly, Facebook emerged at the fourth position, just above Apple, with 14 points. This means Facebook collects far less data on its users than Google or even Twitter. Facebook has been a part of every data harvesting controversy, but the new study shows the company has improved.

Since you can never be sure what app is collecting what information about you, the study has recommended you to use privacy-focused apps and browsers such as DuckDuckGo instead of Google Chrome. Essentially, the study has warned users against anything and everything that has an association with Google. One of the biggest concerns it mentioned is that Google keeps specific location data on its users. “Due to its importance in tying consumers’ online and offline profiles, location data is a hotly debated topic in data privacy.”

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