Recent research conducted by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has unveiled a concerning issue: certain Android apps, even after acquiring users' location permissions, may inadvertently—and without the developers' awareness—disclose precise geolocation data to advertisers and data brokers. The root cause lies in the fact that numerous third-party Software Development Kits (SDKs) integrated into these apps have location data sharing enabled as a default setting. This results in the frequent collection, and in some cases, the resale of users' location information. For example, certain apps refresh location data every 2 seconds, with daily updates soaring up to 14,000 times, thereby constructing detailed movement trajectories of users. Beyond its application in tailoring services to individual users, this data has fueled a thriving location-based advertising market valued at $21 billion. Advertisers can gain access to user information for a mere $2 per month. Although the Android system has imposed restrictions on the frequency of location data collection by inactive apps, users are still advised to safeguard their privacy by manually revoking the 'Always Allow' permission, activating fuzzy location features, and routinely reviewing app permissions.
