3 things to know
Almost all “dangerous permissions” with potentially significant privacy implications requested by apps from the Google Play Store have become more common in 2021. However, the spike of apps requesting access to the device’s Microphone (for Audio Recording) and device’s Camera are particularly noteworthy.
The number of apps with Record Audio permission increased the most significantly in the first half of 2021, up 21% year-over-year compared to the first half of 2020. With over 374,000 Google Play Store apps requesting access to the device’s microphone and recording audio, it is among the most common “dangerous permissions” distinguished in the Dangerous permissions report.
A quarter (859,000) of all Google Play Store apps requested access to the camera in H1 2021. This number increased by 13% YoY, and the Camera Access was the fourth-highest rise among the nine “dangerous permissions” closely studied in the report. Of those nine, Camera Access was the third-most common “dangerous permission.”
Pixalate will continue to monitor “dangerous permissions” among apps in the Google Play Store and report on the latest trends.
To learn more about dangerous permissions in Google Play Store and current trends in the field, download the H1 2021 Mobile App ‘Dangerous Permissions’ Report for free.
You can also watch our webinar on October 7, 2021, we will review this data - and other data about risk factors in the mobile in-app ecosystem — in greater detail.
Disclaimer
The content of this blog, and the Publisher Trust Indexes (collectively, the “Indexes”), reflect Pixalate’s opinions with respect to factors that Pixalate believes may be useful to the digital media industry. The Indexes examine programmatic advertising activity on mobile apps and Connected TV (CTV) apps (collectively, the “apps”). As cited in the Indexes and referenced in the Indexes’ key findings reproduced herein, the ratings and rankings in the Indexes are based on a number of metrics (e.g., “Brand Safety”) and Pixalate’s opinions regarding the relative performance of each app publisher with respect to the metrics. The data is derived from buy-side, predominantly open auction, programmatic advertising transactions, as measured by Pixalate. The Indexes examine global advertising activity across North America, EMEA, APAC, and LATAM, respectively, as well as programmatic advertising activity within discrete app categories. Any insights shared are grounded in Pixalate’s proprietary technology and analytics, which Pixalate is continuously evaluating and updating. Any references to outside sources in the Indexes and herein should not be construed as endorsements. Pixalate’s opinions are just that, opinions, which means that they are neither facts nor guarantees; and neither this press release nor the Indexes are intended to impugn the standing or reputation of any person, entity or app.
