Do you know how many apps you have on your device right now?
It may surprise you to know the actual number.
We are living in a technology driven world and it seems to get more complicated every day. In every part of our life we are told that we should install/download or purchase this app as it will improve our life in so many ways. How can you survive without it?
The question is how did humans live before the online world existed? We do know they did and humans existed for a very long time without it. Think about all the discoveries, inventions and wonderful things that happened in the centuries beforehand. So it is possible and we all know it is.
Why do the ads seem to make out that humans cannot function without an app to do even the most basic of things.
They are sold as life saving
Do they improve your life and simplify things or do they just make you forget all about it.
An app to manage your money. What on earth, I don’t know about you but how many of us have so much money right now that we cannot manage it ourselves. Most of us are talking about the cost of living crisis and dread the next grocery shopping trip. The fear of what is going up in price this week and can I still afford it. So many are thinking about not turning on the heat or cutting back on electricity as they may not be able to afford the next bill.
Now more than ever we should be totally aware of the money we have coming in and where the money is going.
Handing over the control of your finances to an app means you have no idea of your finances yourself. How many people with the financial apps actually regularly check their accounts or track their spending? They switch off and think the app is taking care of things. How will they find out if they are overcharged for things?
I found a ledger that belonged to my grandparents and at that time they kept a very thorough detail of all the money they had. They knew how much money was coming in and where they were spending their money, Did they have a lot? No, they did not. However they knew they needed to keep on top of the money they had and understood the value of it. They tracked the cost of things and were aware of getting only what they needed.
Terms and conditions
Most don’t even read the terms and conditions of a new app. They are not even aware of what they are giving up to access the app. They may think ah it is free so it doesn’t cost me anything. Is it free? how is the company that is offering it to you actually doing business then? Yes, you may be able to use the services of the company that you are with. This could include your bank or service provider such as your electricity provider.
Do you know what access you have handed over to them? It may not even be the company themselves but an external company that created the app. We have no idea of the contract made between these two companies and how safe this makes you the end user.
They are using a third party company for the app. This goes down the slippery slope of do you know who they are and where they are located? What rights do you have now? Why do they need access to your camera, microphone, photos and contacts along with other things?
No one is saying you are doing anything wrong it is a protection of your privacy that is important. Why should your bank need access to your photos or your details other than what it needs for you to do your business with the bank.
How safe are the apps and what protection are you assured? If the company is hacked will you be informed immediately or only after a few months if you are notified at all. By then your details have been sold off to numerous brokers potentially
Apps that cost you money
Does this mean that if you have to pay for subscription to use the app that it is safer for you?
Unfortunately there is never a guarantee even if you pay.
The end user always seems to be the loser in legal battles or even queries about anything that pertains to them.
Somehow the big companies are on the winning side. After all we all know that money buys power.
This of course does not mean that the company who sells you the app is the evil one in it, They may be doing everything right and working with a third party app company who they presume are able to protect their customers and offer the best security ever. Hackers will always find a way to get in if they are motivated to do so.
Government departments have been hacked and personal information from millions of customers/clients have been released or held hostage.
There is a saying that if the app is free then you and your private information are the product and you are basically giving them permission to sell it off and make money from you.
How to protect yourself
Unfortunately we feel forced into having apps to be able to do some very basic things in life. Some people blindly install yet another app without thinking about what it implies. This does not have to be you. When you are shown a new app promising you the world you can stop and think do I need this? What is it actually used for? Who is managing the app and what information do they want from me to make it work?
Is there a way that you can manage your life without the app? Mostly there is a work around and a simple pen and paper can solve a lot of issues.
There are apps to help you manage your cycle. Do we need the exact days of our cycle or fertility out there on the dark web or for sale with brokers? I keep track of mine with a simple calendar (on one page – yes paper) which I keep in my home. It’s ready to take to the doctor or health care provider when needed.
There is so much private information that does not need to be openly available online for hackers to access and sell to nefarious people.
What can we do about it?
Why not make some time in your day to check your device and see how many apps you have on it and how many you still use.
Deleting or uninstalling those that you don’t need or use frees up space on your device which will help it to run better. That is a win. The apps you are still using why not check out what they offer and how it is helping you. Maybe there are things that you have not realised and should be utilising.
You may not need a new phone but just needed a declutter of memory on your phone. It frees up space and means it works faster.
Another win in today’s world.
