Knowing how much data iOS apps collect about you has gotten a lot easier since the release of Apple's privacy labels late last year. However, app intelligence firm 42matters has used its own tools, as well as iPhone manufacturer's privacy labels, to identify the most popular VPN apps for iOS based on the type of data they collect. Late last year, Apple began asking publishers to provide information about the type of data their apps collect to help further protect the privacy of iOS users. The company uses four separate labels in the form of data used to track you, data related to you, data not related to you, and data not collected in its privacy labels. There are currently 1.265 VPN-enabled apps in their titles on the App Store, and 42 people have taken a look at their privacy labels to better understand the type of data iPhone VPN apps collect about their users.
What can Apple's privacy labels tell you?
The Apple Data Used to Track You label applies to any type of data tracked by a third-party application or partner that is linked to data collected from other locations on a particular end user or device and such information is generally used with advertising purposes. The most popular VPN apps with this tag based on estimated downloads over the past 30 days include VPN - Super Unlimited Proxy by Mobile Jump Pte Ltd, NordVPN, and Smart VPN by ToolsForest HK Limited. The data privacy label relating to you refers to all data that could be used to identify an end user, even if that data is not used to deliver targeted advertising. The most popular VPN apps for iOS in the last 30 days with this label include ExpressVPN, Turbo VPN, and VPN Vault - Appsverse Super Proxy App. Finally, the Data not linked to you privacy label applies to data that the publishers have declared not to be linked to an end user's identity, including their geolocation, browsing history, etc. The most popular VPN apps with this label include VPN - Super Unlimited Proxy, Free VPN by Free VPN .org, and NordVPN. While Apple's privacy labels provide a bit more insight into how VPN apps on iOS collect data, you'll get a much clearer picture of the type of logs that are kept if you take a closer look at their privacy policies. VPN providers on their websites. Still, Apple's privacy labels are benefiting consumers enough that Google has said it will do the same thing by adding them to Android apps on the Play Store next year.