Do you know what permissions you're granting when you install an app?

When we install an app on our phone, we're agreeing to a set of terms that can affect us more than we realize. Ideally, everyone would read the terms before agreeing to any installation or download on their smartphone, but unfortunately, that's rarely the case. We want to download the app quickly, without waiting, immediately. We readily accept the terms and conditions explained in small print without even reading the first line.

According to a recent report from Kaspersky Lab, 83.1% of apps installed on smartphones can access users' personal data, and only 47.1% of Spanish users bother to adjust app settings on their devices. According to the study, only 24.6% refuse to install an app after deeming its terms dangerous.

According to the study, around 831% of the applications we install on our mobile phones can access sensitive data such as contacts, calls, messages, etc.

Some data is more sensitive than others when accepting an app's terms and conditions. That's why today we want to explain some of the data that is most sensitive in these situations:

• Access to the calendar. It allows you to read, edit, and create new events in the calendar. It can monitor a user, showing their activity at any given time.
• Location access. Similar to calendar access is location access. In this case, we allow the app to know our location at all times, either through GPS, cell towers, or Wi-Fi.
• Access to contacts. The app requests permission to access our contact list, edit it, add new contacts, and also access the list of service accounts, etc.
• Access to the cameras. If we accept these conditions, the app will be able to take photos and record videos on its own.
• Microphone access. In this case, we risk having our phone conversations recorded.
• Access to text messages. It allows the application to send text messages (SMS, MMS, or even WAP push messages), read saved messages, or receive new ones. There is a significant danger, as this can be used by cybercriminals to subscribe us to unwanted paid services.

It's essential to know what we're agreeing to when we install an app on our smartphone, because however harmless it may seem, it can cause serious problems in our personal lives. Our privacy must always be protected, without undue intrusions, whether from an app or any other installation or download.

If you want to download an app, go ahead, but before accepting the terms, read, even if only skimmed, what they're asking for in return, and if you don't understand, don't hesitate to decline the offer.