Access to Personal Data by App Providers

In March 2022 our test subjects were asked on the topic of apps and the authority that these apps are given when they are installed; specifically the access to saved contacts. We asked which thoughts or feelings our probands experience when apps want to access this personal information of other people.

We asked what the subjects think about the saved contacts in their phone. The big majority feels that the saved contacts “are their own data”. A minority of about 10% have the opinion that the saved contacts are “just some data”. This shows that the more probands think that the saved contacts are their own data, the more unlikely it is that they would share this data with app-providers.

The participants were asked who should be allowed to access the saved contacts on their own phone. 91% of probands agreed that the person owning the phone (where these contacts are saved) should have access to the data. 57% think that also the individuals whose contacts are saved should have the authority to access them. Just 17% agree that the app-provider should have the right to the saved contacts.

The probands were requested to estimate the opinion of their saved contacts. 66% assume that the contacts think that the person owning the phone with the saved contacts should have access to the data. 75% estimate that their contacts think that they themselves should have access to the saved data. Again, only a minority of 18% believe that the contacts think that the app-provider should have access to the saved contacts.

This shows that the subjects think that they have more right to access contact data then the individuals who this contact data actually concerns. But at the same time the probands believe that the people whose contact data is saved believe the exact opposite.

You can find the full study here!