A recent Surfshark analysis highlights a troubling trend: 80% of the five analyzed
popular AI companion apps (Kindroid, Nomi, Replika, EVA, and Character AI) on
the App Store may track users through personal data utilization.
According
to cybersecurity expert Miguel Forn’s from Surfshark, AI companions, or in
other words, applications designed to simulate human-like interactions through
AI, are intended to act as supportive friends. They are designed to simulate
conversations, offer emotional support, and even perform various tasks.
However, when these AI companions begin tracking users, they can really shake
our trust and invade our privacy.
“Instead
of being there for us, they can feel more like surveillance tools. To keep your
personal data safe and avoid any misuse of sensitive information, it is
essential to take some precautions. Make sure you are frequently checking what
permissions these apps have and be mindful of what information you are
sharing,” – advises M. Forn’s.
Your
loneliness may be a profit to someone
Even
though love can be expressed in countless ways through loved ones, family,
pets, possessions, or even virtual beings, World Health Organization found that 1 in 4 older adults still experience social
isolation and between 5 and 15 % of adolescents experience loneliness. In
response, many adults are turning to digital friendships and partnerships to
combat these feelings of isolation.
However,
AI companion app developers have found ways to monetize their users. Primarily
through subscriptions and potentially by sharing user data for advertising
purposes. A review of the data collection practices for the five analyzed apps
reveals that 80% of them may use personal data to track users. Notably, Nomi,
one of the five apps analyzed, stands apart by claiming it does not collect
data for tracking purposes.
On
average, these apps use two types of data for tracking, which involves linking
user or device data-such as a user ID or profile-with third-party data
collected from other apps, websites, or offline sources for targeted
advertising. “This means that your personal and even sensitive information can
be used to analyze your behaviour and create highly personalized marketing
strategies. While this may initially seem harmless, the consequences can be
far-reaching. This detailed data can lead to companies influencing your
choices, which can have negative effects, like overwhelming ads, financial
risks, or other unexpected issues,” – says a cybersecurity expert.
Tracking
also includes sharing user or device data with data brokers, which may lead
even to your data being sold to criminals or very suspicious buyers.
Which
of the popular AI companion apps collect the most?
According
to research, Character AI is the app that truly “loves” its users’ data. The
analyzed apps typically gather about 9 out of 35 unique types of data. In
contrast, Character AI shines through as it may potentially collect up to 15
types, nearly doubling the average.
Alongside
Character AI, another companionship app, EVA, emerges as the second most
data-loving app, gathering 11 types of data. Both apps seek users’ coarse
location information, which is often leveraged in advertising to deliver
targeted ads.
