Use at your own risk: how top education apps can spy on you
Popular educational apps have access to reams of private data that could result in privacy and security violations, a new study has found.
25 apps were tested, with many found to request access to the users’ camera, calendar, location, contacts, and the ability to record audio, among other permissions.
Apps like Canvas Student, Coursera, Duolingo, Remind, and Simplilearn can access Google, Meta, and Samsung accounts on the device - something that is not necessary for them to work, but which could potentially reveal email addresses, usernames, and other account identification in the event of a breach.
Other apps, such as Khan Academy, Question.AI, and Remind, request permissions to read the phone state, which can include a device's phone number, SIM card details, and information about their ISP. In malicious hands, this could be used to intercept calls made to the device.
Publication: Cybernews
Writer: Paulina Okunytė