Android users’ location tracked by ‘snooping beacon’ technology in apps - despite it being banned by Google

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Hundreds of Android apps sent user location data to a data broker that had been banned from the Google Play Store since December 2020. Alongside X-Mode’s location SDK called “io.xmode”, the researchers from ExpressVPN’s Digital Security Lab found an additional SDK called “io.mysdk”. In response to the investigation, X-Mode’s chief executive Josh Anton told TechCrunch: “The ban on X-Mode’s SDK has broader ecosystem implications considering X-Mode collected similar mobile app data as most advertising SDKs. Apple and Google have set the precedent that they can determine private enterprises’ ability to collect and use mobile app data even when a majority of our publishers had secondary consent for the collection and use of location data” He continued: “We’ve recently sent a letter to Apple and Google to understand how we can best resolve this issue together so that we can both continue to use location data to save lives and continue to power the tech communities’ ability to build location-based products.