Pixalate's recent investigation has exposed privacy concerns associated with Santa calling apps designed for children. The study, examining 231 apps on Google Play and the Apple App Store, unveiled that a significant 76% of these apps, created for kids to connect with Santa Claus, seek access to the user's camera.

The data, encompassing the third quarter of 2023, scrutinized 190 apps on Google Play and 41 on the Apple App Store, amassing around 39 million downloads. Among the worrisome revelations, 41% of the apps display advertisements, with 38% on Google Play and 49% on the Apple App Store. Furthermore, 33 apps request access to the user's location, and alarmingly, 53 were observed transmitting this data to advertisers. Notably, 88% of these apps shared user GPS coordinates in the advertising bid stream. Privacy policies were absent in 19 apps, and 14 were likely subject to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) for sharing location information with advertisers. Additionally, 87% of the apps lacked an age gate and a verified parental consent mechanism.

A notable finding revealed that 44% of Santa calling apps in the Apple App Store seemed abandoned for at least two years, in contrast to 15% on Google Play. Pixalate underscores the potential privacy and data security risks associated with outdated and abandoned apps, emphasizing that unnoticed vulnerabilities could elevate user risk and lead to potential compliance violations within the advertising industry.

The study also expressed concern that 90% of these apps lack a country of registry, with six registered in the U.S. and five in the U.K. This comprehensive investigation underscores the critical importance of scrutinizing apps designed for children to ensure a secure and privacy-compliant digital environment.

Source: adapted from an article by Maya Robertson, Author of Archives for Mobile Marketing Reads.