Are Photo Editing Apps Stealing Data?

Photo editing apps are wildly popular, and they can be a lot of fun! From celebrities to businesses and even your best friend, almost everyone uses apps to edit their photos and share them online. From photo editors that let you add stickers and emojis, to others that apply highly-stylized filters, social media is full of these edits. Unfortunately, certain apps are a breeding ground for potential malware and security threats. Cases of photo apps stealing data are on the rise, and it’s important to learn how to protect yourself against these privacy risks.

The Privacy Risk of Photo Editing Apps

You may be looking to add some captions to a photo you took, or maybe you want to apply a glossy filter to blur out certain parts of your image. Your solution? Look for a photo editing app that has the capabilities you’re looking for. You upload the photo to the app and get your image back with no problems. However, there is still one issue: what does the application do with your image once they return it to you with a filter on it?

Depending on what app you use, or which website you upload your photo to, you may be giving away more personal information than you realize. Each photo you take has metadata that your phone attaches to it. This metadata contains information about where the photo was taken and the device that took the image. When you share this information with unsafe websites and apps, other people can obtain the data. 

Unfortunately, this is just one example of the risks that sharing your photos with editing apps presents. Some websites will track your location through your browser and use that to obtain your IP address. They can even use your images to steal your data. 

Are Photo Editing Apps Stealing Data?

When we talk about stealing data, what do we really mean? Truthfully, it depends on the goal of the person attempting to steal that information. For example, if they are looking for marketing data, they may be trying to steal your demographic information. 

However, if a malicious hacker is looking for more than just basic information, they can use the data they gather from you to fraudulently represent you and steal your identity. This is just one of many different possibilities when it comes to the way that cybercriminals manipulate your personal information.  

Of course, not all photo applications are stealing your data. There are many safe, verified apps available on the Apple and Google stores respectively. Most of the issues that users run into tend to occur on third-party apps that are unverified. Avoiding these third-party applications is just one way that you can stay safe on photo editing apps.

How to Stay Safe on Photo Editing Apps

Maintaining your online safety while using photo editing apps is easy if you stick to those applications that have been verified on official app stores. Apple is notoriously rigorous about ensuring the safety of the apps on their store. You’re likely not to encounter any serious malware or cybercriminals lurking on these applications. Of course, there are some risky apps that can slip through the cracks, so it’s important to avoid anything that looks suspicious or has too many ads. 

Another way to remain safe on photo editing apps is to never upload photos containing sensitive information. As we mentioned previously, cybercriminals can easily access these photos from unsecured apps. If one of these malicious hackers were to obtain one of your images that had data such as your phone number or address, they could easily use that data against you. 

Ultimately, your best bet is to avoid using any photo editing websites or apps that are not directly verified on a trustworthy platform. If you ever feel unsafe while using a website or an application, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Keeping yourself safe on the Internet should be one of your highest priorities, and avoiding potentially dangerous applications is one great way to do just that.

Protect Yourself Online with PrivadoVPN

It seems silly to think that something as simple as a photo editing app can pose a threat, but it’s unfortunately true. Cybercriminals will stop at nothing to get what they want, and they will use any means necessary to get it. This is why it’s so important to protect your online privacy. Without the right protection, your personal information could easily fall into the wrong hands. 

PrivadoVPN makes it easy to keep yourself, and your private data, safe on the Internet. With just a few clicks, you’re instantly in control of your online privacy. All it takes is one account to take back control of your Internet on all of your devices. 

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