Skyscanner & TripAdvisor say they’re doing everything possible to protect customer privacy after being accused of sharing app user data to Facebook without permission.
The accusation was made by Privacy International after research into 34 Android apps, including Skyscanner and TripAdvisor, found private data was being transferred to the social media giant without receiving authorisation.
Privacy International concluded that 20 of 34 apps were transferring user information to Facebook within seconds of opening the apps and before the user could give their consent, The Sun reported.
Data transmitted to the online giant included the unique Android ID and the number of times the app was accessed. On some occasions, information such as flight search and bookings were also handed over.
Skyscanner responded to reports when they first came out late last month, by updating the app to fix the issue and thanking Privacy International for raising the alert.
“Our goal is to be as transparent and upfront as possible with travellers regarding what information is collected from them and who it is shared with.”
Skyscanner
Meanwhile, TripAdvisor said in a statement that it was committed to engaging with Privacy International to protect user rights, which is of “utmost importance”.
“The technical issues raised by Privacy International are extremely complex, and we respectfully consider the statements they have made to be somewhat oversimplified,” TripAdvisor explained.
“We are currently in the process of investigating the remarks published regarding our use of the Facebook SDK and will determine any actions or clarifications once the investigation is complete.”
TripAdvisor
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