X Has Insatiable Appetite For Location Data, New Study Concludes

Some of the top-used apps are pinpointing users’ locations in real time, the study says.

VPN provider Surfshark analyzed the location data collection features of the top 10 social media apps as part of a new study.

The study analyzed location data collection behavior of the most-used social media apps, including X, Meta, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Xis the most location data-hungry app among those analyzed, according to the study.

“X stands out by collecting both coarse and precise location data for all listed purposes in the App Store. Precise location refers to user coordinates that specify a location with a resolution of three or more decimal places in latitude and longitude, while coarse location indicates an approximate location with lower resolution,” according to the study.

X and Pinterest may also be using location data to track users, according to the study. Pinpinting user location by these apps is done through GPS, Bluetooth connections to IP addresses, and other methods.

All the apps analyzed location data for third-party advertising, making it “nearly impossible” for users to escape ad targeting, the report read.

Other reasons these companies collect location data include self-promotion, product personalization, and app functionality.

Reddit, the report found, is the only app that does not link location data to a user’s identity. Even disabling location services does not prevent apps from acquiring a user’s location data. That is because these apps can still “infer” approximate location, something they add in their terms of service policies, the report noted.

“Why do social media apps need your precise location? That’s the first thing I think about when I see that most of these apps collect user’s precise location. Precise location data falls under the most sensitive user data category because it can be linked to highly personal behavior and routines. For example, if data shows someone spends nights at one address, that’s almost certainly their home. Daily commute could reveal which company a user works for, hinting at the salary. Location can also expose visits to doctors, religious centers, or political events — activities you might not want to share with others. This all can lead to building your profile, predicting behavior, or can be used for targeted manipulation and discrimination," said Donatas Budvytis, chief technology officer at Surfshark, in a news release.

Surfshark’s full study is available here.