Shocking! iPhone ads and push notifications being used by third parties to spy on users: Reports

Apple is a company that follows strict security rules and provides features that protect iPhone users, making the smartphone much more secure. However, in shocking news, iPhone’s in-app ads and push notifications have been used for unethical means to collect users’ data without their knowledge. Two reports say that features on the iPhone are being used to spy on users’ data and activities creating major security breaches. Know what these reports are saying about these claims.

iPhone third-party apps spying on users

According to a 9to5Mac report, one report has revealed that in-app ads are being used to spy on iPhone users by gathering sensitive details which then are being sent to security services, 404media reported. The second report says that other apps such as “Facebook and TikTok, FB Messenger, Instagram, Threads, X, and many more” are collecting users’ data through a vulnerability in their push notifications services. iPhone enables app providers to customize their push notifications service, however, these companies have been using the feature for the wrong purposes.

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Before this started, Apple had cracked down on those companies and required them to ask for every user’s permission before they could track them. It was after this that companies like these began to look for alternatives and came up with the “device fingerprinting” method.

Security researchers at Mysk also shared details on how iPhone features are being used to spy on its users. It said, “Many apps are using this feature as an opportunity to send detailed device information while running quietly in the background.” It also revealed that information such as system uptime, locale, keyboard language, available memory, battery status, device model, and much more are being acquired by these apps.

According to reports, Google and Apple have responded to the security concerns. Apple will be announcing new rules for the misuse of push notifications feature to protect their user’s data. It said, “Starting Spring 2024, Apple will require developers to declare reasons for using the APIs that return unique device signals, such as the ones commonly used for fingerprinting.”

Google revealed that it has gone and terminated all linkages with a company that was using the device fingerprinting technique to track users.

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