Many people watch theweather forecastevery day by using an app , not realizing that doing this compromises their privacy .
Weather site and apps are notorious for gathering your personal selective information , fit in to a critique published by The New York Times’Wirecutterback in May 2021 . The publishing find that 17 of the 20 weather apps it retrospect were gather data totrack devicesfor publicizing purposes , and 14 were using location information to pass over devices . The reasonableness these weather condition internet site and apps track your data is that it is highly remunerative . Location selective information sell for targeted advertising made an estimated$21 billion in 2019 .
In addition , the popular app " Weather Forecast — World Weather Accurate Radar " was found to be take in location data , electronic mail speech and International Mobile Equipment Identity number ( a unequaled 15 - finger codification used to identify equipment ) , according to an investigating handle byThe Wall Street Journal . This spare app , made by TCL Communication Technology Holdings Ltd. , establish in Shenzhen , China , is still uncommitted for download . Google later suspendedtwo other Chinese appsfrom its Play store , based on allegement that they were exploiting user permission as part of an ad fraud scheme .
data like this can be frightening . So how do you block off companies from harvesting your weather condition data for their benefit ?
One way is to use weather apps from privacy - focused search engines , such asStartpage . The hunting engine allows users to search for weather updates in any location without sharing theirIP addressand personal information . ( Full revelation : HowStuffWorks ' parent troupe System1 is an investor in Startpage . )
" line up weather selective information is a daily turn for many people , just like search the internet . But weather apps often bear as secret spies . That ’s why we are excited to now offer you Startpage ’s enhanced private weather feature with an indefinite prognosis : gay with no chance of spying ! " aver Robert E.G. Beens , chief operating officer and founding father of Startpage , in a press dismissal . IP reference and personal data are never save or shared during a atmospheric condition search on Startpage .
Startpage has partnered withTomorrow.ioto add more comprehensive reporting of actual - time weather .
" Tomorrow.io ’s industry leading widgets include a number of selection , include aura timber , pollutants , pollen , flack risk , multiple localization , general weather condition summaries and more , " said Dan Slagen , Tomorrow.io ’s chief merchandising police officer , in the same release . " With weather and mood - related result now in the everyday newsworthiness cycles/second , it ’s more authoritative than ever to provide the most hyperlocal and actionable prognosis to people everywhere throughout the domain . "
Another choice is to disable trailing on your current weather app . Go to preferences and look for Apps and then for the weather app you have installed . call on off any preferences regarding location . This will mean you ’ll have to record the information manually for the weather . turn off location tracking will downplay the app ’s information collection but not stop it entirely depending on which company have your weather app and what other info they may have about you .
