Think before you download and use free apps
With technology advancing at a rapid pace, so are the security and privacy concerns that come along with it.
Some of the apps that we use daily in our lives are not immune to these issues. These apps are available for free in the Play Store and App Store but at the end, they use our data as the cost for their free services.
Security and Privacy is a myth in this tech world
That being said, the vulnerable apps that we are talking here and being used by millions of Indians, and most of them belong to Chinese companies.
We are not against them or anyone. We want to encourage our users to value their own privacy and stop using these apps.
Let us share with you some of the most popular apps that are vulnerable and the apps which can be used as a very good alternative to them.
TikTok
There are a number of apps like TikTok including Indian alternatives, Mitron and Chingari.
We can’t really recommend either as they’re still not well established and they don’t offer very polished experiences.
Instead, you might be better off switching to Instagram for now, and in fact, many of the popular creators on TikTok already have a presence on Instagram as well.
Not only that, Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms for sharing pictures and videos.
Also now IGTV is tightly integrated within the Instagram app, which means you now watch IGTV’s longer videos from your favorite creators.
Download Instagram on Playstore and Appstore
SHAREit
This app is known for its peer-to-peer file sharing platform and it became popular when it was launched.
User base also increased when SHAREit came pre-installed with most Chinese smartphone devices like Xiaomi.
There were numerous reports and controversies surrounding this app late last year, that it sends user data to a Chinese server. Though the company behind this app quashed those reports, they have updated this app and for now it works without any serious concern.
Files by Google
Instead of using a controversial app, you can use alternatives such as Files by Google.
The app is developed by Google and it offers a very good user interface and file sharing functionality.
It also features a file management system and file cleaner within the app, that can be used for optimizing the data in your phone.
Download Files by Google on Playstore
Mi Video Call
Xiaomi’s own video calling and chat application, Mi Video Call is one of the 59 apps banned by the Indian government.
The good news is that there’s no shortage of apps that can allow you to chat or call over the Internet. The most popular app in this segment right now is of course WhatsApp.
While there are other alternatives that you can use, it’s pretty safe to assume that every person you want to talk is already having WhatsApp and so that’s the app we would recommend.
Download WhatsApp on Playstore and Appstore
Mi Browser
The most controversial mobile browsers of all time is Mi Browser. Security researchers recently found that Mi Browser’s incognito mode sends data to remote servers in Singapore and Russia with web domains hosted in Beijing.
Even though Xiaomi India’s CEO denied these allegations, Xiaomi updated the Mi Browser app fixing these (known) security issues.
We strongly believe that Mi Browser should not be used as it lacks security and privacy time to time.
Go for the best alternative, Google Chrome for Android if you need usability with good amount of security.
Download Chrome on Playstore and Appstore
If you really want a private secure browser that doesn’t track your activities, then DuckDuckGo is one of the most secure and privacy driven Android browser and we can vouch for it.
Download DuckDuckGo on Playstore and Appstore
CamScanner
This mobile image scanner app is famous among Android and iPhone users. But what looks good from the outside is not same as whats inside it.
The app recently came into a controversy. Kaspersky Labs found that the app harvests user data and was carrying a malware (Trojan Horse) inside its APK.
Google removed this app from PlayStore last year based on these findings. Since then the app has been fixed and it is back on the PlayStore.
This misuse of privacy and security is not good and it destroys the faith and trust of the customers.
Microsoft Office Lens
Alternatives such as Microsoft Office Lens or Adobe Scan can serve the same purpose and functionality of CamScanner and provides good security.
Microsoft Office Lens -> Download it on Playstore and Appstore
Adobe Scan -> Download it on Playstore and Appstore
ES File Explorer
This app comes pre-installed in most of the Chinese smartphones but be aware and cautious when you use it. Last year Security researches found vulnerability inside the app.
The app had an inbuilt web browser running on http port 59777 and any attacker when connected to the same network can access all the data from the user’s smartphone.
After this report, ES File Explorer was fixed by its developers.
Not only having security bugs, ES File Explorer is also notorious for showing derogatory ads in its UI.
The best alternative to this app is again ‘Files by google’. With it’s clean UI and added features like file cleaning , it is in our most recommended list.
Download Files by Google on Playstore
Club Factory
A fashion, beauty and lifestyle e-commerce store, Club Factory offered a little bit of everything for people who wanted to shop for a lighter, a speaker, jeans, and dress shirts all in the same place, while looking for the best deals.
While there’s no single site we would recommend, Flipkart is still a viable option where users can get best deals on any items that might be dresses, t shirts, gadgets, household items, etc.
Download Flipkart on Playstore and Appstore
Xender
Xender is also an app like Shareit that allows you to transfer files such as your music or photos or other documents wirelessly without using data.
And like Shareit, the ways to replace it are also fairly straightforward.
If you’re on the Apple ecosystem, then you can just use Airdrop, while Android users can use Files Go.
The best alternative to this app is again ‘Files by google’. With it’s clean UI and added features like file cleaning , it is in our most recommended list.
Download Files by Google on Playstore
Zoom
The most popular business video conferencing app in the recent times has its own share of security bugs and privacy issues.
Zoom’s usage has increased exponentially across the globe due to the ongoing pandemic as most workers are working remotely.
The app has alleged been sharing user’s data with Facebook (not a surprise here) without user consent and in fact data has been shared of users who don’t even have a Facebook account.
With lot of controversies surrounding the app and organizations prohibiting the usage of Zoom due to security concerns, you can find a lot of alternatives in this space for your personal use.
The most user-friendly video conferencing app right now is Google Meet.
The app is free-to-use and there are also business plans available for organisations. You can either download it to join meetings or directly go to https://meet.google.com/ to start your meetings via desktop.
Download Google Meet on Playstore and Appstore
That is all folks.
Thanks for reading and we hope you will stop using these vulnerable apps and uninstall them right away.
Also try using the alternate apps mentioned in this post and we really believe that you will start liking it pretty quickly.
Your data is your right and not someone else’s.
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