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US and UK spy agencies have been developing methods of scooping up user data from smartphone apps such as Angry Birds, it has emerged.
The Guardian newspaper, referencing classified documents passed to them by whistleblower Edward Snowden, say the agencies have been looked at taking advantage of “leaky” apps that send users’ private information across the web.
It said users’ personal data such as age, gender, location and even sexual orientation would be theoretically open to the US’ National Security Agency and its UK counterpart GCHQ.
The documents do not reportedly make it clear how much of this information is routinely collected, stored or searched, according to the Guardian.
But GCHQ documents apparently use Angry Birds – one of the most downloaded smartphone apps of all time – as a case study of what information can be extracted.
Rovio, the maker of Angry Birds, said it had no knowledge of NSA or GCHQ attempts to extract data from its app users.