One of the greatest features of having a mobile device today is the apps. Strobing flashlights, interlinked calendars, and personalized alarm clocks. But how often do you think about the permissions you’ve agreed to? If you’re like most people, you’d probably answer “never.” After downloading an app, you’re typically faced with an onslaught of popups that ask you to either “allow” or “decline” particular permissions. You automatically, almost instinctively click “allow” because you’re told that the app needs that access in order to run properly. However, if you’ve never questioned why the flashlight app is asking to record your calls or that your new calendar wants access to your camera, microphone and contact list, maybe you should.

If you begin to consider just how many apps and subsequently, the corporations behind them have access to your personal information, it’s a bit nauseating. We’d like to assume that apps won’t abuse our information, but with continuous and growing accusations against data-hungry companies like Facebook, it’s clear that they can (and they will). The request for extensive or intrusive permissions is to benefit the developer and/or their sponsors and likely has very little impact on the apps ability to run effectively. Marketing and advertising networks want access to your search habits, your interests, your shopping locations in order to better sell products. Criminals may have interests in committing fraud, identity theft or exploitation.

For us, that is the most chilling part of modern-day mobile devices. That it’s almost impossible to know exactly what happens to your data once you’ve (un)knowingly given it away. We started ChatMail in order to offer the strongest mobile device encryption available to protect your personal data, security, and privacy. Get in touch with us to find out how.