“Exposed: The Shocking App Blacklist Behind the Screen: Thousands of Popular Apps Spying on Your Every Move”

[Article Title: “Massive Scale Location Data Collection Exposed Through Rogue Advertising Bids”]

As users of some of the world’s most popular apps, including Candy Crush and Tinder, you may be shocked to learn that your sensitive location data is being harvested on a massive scale. A recent report has revealed that thousands of apps are being compromised by rogue advertising firms, leading to the collection of location data on a staggering scale. But that’s not all – the data is also ending up in the hands of a location data company that has previously sold global location data to US law enforcement.

The scope of the collection is mind-boggling. Hacked files from location data company Gravy Analytics reveal that apps from all over the world are being impacted, including everything from games to dating apps to pregnancy tracking and religious prayer apps. Because this data collection is happening through the advertising ecosystem – rather than through code developed by the app creators themselves – this means that most users are not even aware of what is happening to their personal data.

In a statement to 404 Media, senior threat analyst Zach Edwards, who has followed the location data industry closely, revealed, “For the first time publicly, we seem to have proof that one of the largest data brokers selling to both commercial and government clients appears to be acquiring their data from the online advertising ‘bid stream’, rather than code embedded into the apps themselves.”

The advertising industry’s “real-time bidding” (RTB) system allows companies to bid on ad spaces inside apps, and it seems that rogue advertisers are exploiting this system to harvest location data from unsuspecting users. The fact that data brokers are able to listen in on this process and collect location information without users’ knowledge or consent is a privacy nightmare.

“The data breach contains data scraped from the RTB systems, and there’s some company out there acting like a global honey badger, doing whatever it pleases with every piece of data that comes its way,” Edwards added.

Among the apps compromised are dating sites Tinder and Grindr, popular games like Candy Crush and Subway Surfers, fitness app MyFitness Pro, social network Tumblr, and Microsoft’s 365 office app, to name a few. Religious-focused apps, VPN apps, and even apps that track user’s periods or flight routes are also on the list.

A list of all the compromised apps can be found online, compiled by 404 Media and multiple security researchers.

But here are some key takeaways:

1. Location data collection is a significant concern. Companies are sourcing location information from the advertising ecosystem, rather than developing their own code, putting user data at risk.
2. The scale is massive. Millions of mobile phone coordinates from inside the US, Russia, and Europe are contained in the hacked data.
3. Data is being sold. Gravy Analytics has previously sold global location data to US law enforcement, putting sensitive information in the wrong hands.

What’s to be done? In this era of unprecedented data collection and sharing, users must take proactive steps to protect their privacy.

Q: Who is responsible for collecting this data?

A: It appears that rogue advertisers within the advertising industry are collecting the location data.

Q: Are users aware that this data collection is happening?

A: Most users are likely unaware that this data collection is occurring, as it is happening through the advertising ecosystem rather than through code embedded into the apps themselves.

Q: Who ultimately owns the collected data?

A: It is unclear whether Gravy Analytics collects this data itself or sources it from another company. However, the data appears to be sold to both commercial and government clients.

Q: Can I opt out of this data collection?

A: Unfortunately, as this collection is happening through the advertising ecosystem, it may not be possible to opt out entirely. However, users can take steps to limit their location data sharing and monitor their apps’ privacy practices.

In conclusion, the discovery of this massive location data collection raises serious concerns about user privacy. As consumers, it is crucial that we demand transparency from the companies responsible for collecting our data and hold them accountable for its safekeeping. By taking proactive steps to protect our privacy and demanding change from the industry, we can safeguard our personal information and ensure a safer digital landscape.