Privacy advocates say tech companies are becoming more brazen about collecting Attack.Databreach users ' location data and personal information . February 6 , 2017 —For just a few days last month , a photo filter app called Meitu , which turns selfies into pearl-skinned , doe-eyed Anime characters , enthralled the social media world . But Meitu faded as quickly as it rose to internet fame after cybersecurity researchers exposed what was really behind the app . Meitu ’ s application program interfaces ( API ) revealed code that collected Attack.Databreach a bevy of personal data that goes far beyond what typical photo apps gather . It amassed Attack.Databreach users ' precise locations , call information , carrier information , and Wi-Fi connections . The company explained that it collected all that data to `` optimize app performance '' and better engage users . As smartphones become ubiquitous , app makers are becoming more brazen about collecting Attack.Databreach personal data , say experts and privacy advocates . And while iPhones and Android devices have limited privacy settings , most consumers remain in the dark about what companies are collecting Attack.Databreach and how they are using that information . `` There 's been erosion of privacy over the past few years . '' In 2015 , he cowrote a study that found a dozen or so popular Android apps – from companies such as the Weather Channel and Groupon – collecting Attack.Databreach location data about every three minutes .