Shopping through mobile apps might make holiday purchases easier, but they could come with a security risk, a Connecticut senator warns.
Shopper Ashley Hitchcock from Bristol says she loves using apps on her phone for online shopping.
“I use the Groupon app a lot, especially a lot now for Christmas stuff,” she said.
Because the apps save her information, it’s easy for her to make purchases at the click of a button.
“A lot of things I get emails. I get recommendations and that’s how they get me, “said Ashley Hitchcock said Bristol. “And I’ll go into the app and I’ll find local deals or other things that are a good price or products and I get them shipped to my house.”
Although apps are convenient for shoppers like Hitchcock, they do pose a risk.
“These apps are potentially get boons for consumers but they are potentially a bad deal,” said Richard Blumenthal.
According to a recent study by the consumer electronics association, most apps don’t have clear privacy and security policies.
Allowing companies to use and sell shoppers personal information without their permission.
“Consumers ought to be wary and aware of the deal that comes with these apps; it may be a bad deal if they are sacrificing privacy of key, personal information.”
Senator Blumenthal says he’s calling on the companies to clearly disclose how they use information meanwhile asking app users to carefully read the fine print.
