Adam Kos Why are Android users switching to iPhones? Except for certain prestige and iMessage it is most often due to the length of software support and security. But in this regard, a lot of controversies are now emerging, which should not be completely underestimated.
Current case was created in connection with the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Experts warn that some applications created specifically for this championship pose a security and privacy risk. It wouldn't be anything special if it was just Android, but we're also talking about apps that you can find in the App Store. These titles collect more information than they need and send it to servers.
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Vratislav Holub The FIFA World Cup is a security nightmare
What data can apps collect? It's an endless list, which developers are supposed to include in the description of the app in the App Store, but not everyone does. One World Cup app collects data about who you talk to, while others actively prevent the device on which it is installed from going into sleep mode and still sending certain data. German, French and Norwegian agencies oppose the installation of applications related to the championship. However, these are mostly applications that you are encouraged to install when you physically visit the championship.
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These applications are referred to as "spyware". This is, for example, the application Hayya or Ehteraz. Once installed, they then provide Qatari authorities with broad access to their users' data, where they can read and even change or delete that content. Of course, the Qatari government did not comment on this, nor did Apple or Google.
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Jean-Noël Barrot, that is, the French Minister for Digital Technologies to this on Twitter He said that: “In France, all applications must guarantee the fundamental rights of individuals and the protection of their data. But this is not the case in Qatar."And here we are running into legislation. Apple does what it has to in the given markets, and if someone orders it to do something, it bends its back. We saw it not only in Russia before the war, but also in China.
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It can be clearly concluded that yes, Apple cares about our security and privacy as long as it operates in the mainstream market. But in order to be able to function even on the more "limited" one, he has no problem submitting to the governments there. Therefore, football fans visiting Qatar for the FIFA World Cup should not download or install the event's official apps on their iPhone or other devices. German agencies in particular then mention that if you have to use official apps, you shouldn't do so on your primary device.
But in contrast to the number of dead in the preparation of the championship, which is reported to be 10 thousand, some monitoring of individuals and their irrelevant calls is perhaps just a trifle. But it is a significant problem on a global scale, and if the companies (Apple and Google) are aware of the practices of the apps in question, they should remove them from their stores without delay.
