The danger of "apps"

A recent study of a sample of Android apps found that they were "calling home" (sending the phone's current location to a remote web site) on a periodic basis. It was clear that the apps were not telling the user they were doing this; what was not so clear was if the users were adequately notified of this behavior when the applications were installed.

On a related front, Facebook applications can access and store your data and the data of visiting friends. The site gives you some options to suggest which data you want to share and with whom; however, keep in mind that behind the scenes the software must try to interpret your preferences in a way that keeps both you and Facebook's advertisers happy. That's not a tension that is likely to resolve in your favor.

My suggestion would be to delete any applications you don't need from your phones and social networking sites. Eventually, if you really need a phone or device which runs "apps," I'd suggest an Android, because it can be legitimately upgraded (hacked?) to reveal (and perhaps control) such data leaks. And remember, even though your location, demographic, and friend information may seem like innocuous information to be sharing, keep in mind all your data are potentially public.