These are the photo editing apps that are collecting and tracking your private data
May 26, 2021
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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When we think of online privacy, we typically think of social media, editing, browsing or shopping apps that open our private lives up to the potential world. Or, at least to advertisers. But these aren’t the only things we should be worried about, as this report by the folks at Surfshark illustrates.
Amongst the eighteen types of apps that Surfshark looked into, including social media, shopping, streaming, dating, and various others they delved into image editing apps. And the amount of data that each one captures might surprise you. For example, did you know that VSCO tracks your search history and wants the info on all your contacts?
The information on each of the apps and the permissions they require comes directly from Apple’s App Store. And while image editing apps overall ranked down at the bottom – tied with browsers for last place – and don’t even come close to things like social media and food delivery apps, the data that some of the apps collect is surprising.
Some of the data is pretty much required for this type of app. For example, many image editing apps have a camera app built in. So, they’ll want to know your location to be able to geotag the images. That’s all pretty normal. But why does VSCO need to know my search history and want information on all my contacts? And what is the “sensitive info” that Lightroom requires?
Notably missing are a couple of popular image editing apps, like Google’s Snapseed and Affinity Photo, so it would be interesting to see where they stack up in this list. If you want something that tracks absolutely nothing, though, might want to take a look at Pixelmator.
If you want to see what type of apps are the most data-hungry privacy invaders, and specifically which apps in those categories are the worst offenders, see the complete list over on the Surfshark website.
I was surprised by some of these. What mobile image editing app do you use?
Update: Image updated to reflect correct app icon for Photoleap
[via Surfshark / Images used with permission]
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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17 responses to “These are the photo editing apps that are collecting and tracking your private data”
Nothing from this ?
Why mobile?
Big fan of Pixelmator and Pixelmator Photo for the iPad. They update frequently and it’s a polished product. Highly recommend.
Your chart contains the app “Photoleap” which does not exist on the App Store. Other apps could also be made up.
You made that up. It’s indeed on the Apple App Store, by the makers of VideoLeap It used to be called PhotoFox, IIRC
I found Photoleap from LightTricks, but this Photoleap is supposed to have agreen icon, as in the article.
Maybe during research the author did some typo, like typing “Photolea” (instead of photoleap) that google corrected into Photopea
LOL
Thanks for the Photopea tho
What a great photo editor
What’s this then? Looks like Photoleap on the App Store to me.
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/photoleap-by-lightricks/id1191337894
Do you think they mean this one? The icon is completely different than the one they use in the article.
Perhaps they changed their icon since Surfshark made the table? App authors can do that. :)
Maybe during research the author did some typo, like typing “Photolea” (instead of photoleap) that google corrected into Photopea
LOL
Thanks for the Photopea tho
What a great photo editor ?
Sensitive data? Is that the permission for a user name and password perhaps?
What a crappy article.
Snapseed is the best. Won’t even look at other options. ?
why edit on mobile… smh
Because you took the picture on the phone doofus… Smh
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