Trading Privacy For Cheap Transport System

Trading Privacy For a Cheap Transport System

Your personal data is a ripe resource for apps and services to harvest in their own interests. These business models rely on the collection, processing and sharing of personal information, posing significant risks to users’ security and privacy. Risks stem from the variety of data and sensors held, the use of different types of identifiers and the extended possibility of users’ tracking, as well as extended use of third-party software and services.

SafeBoda, a transportation app operating in Uganda, Kenya and Barcelona, is known by many Ugandans for offering low-cost transportation system. Rarely is a low-cost service seldom secure. The processing of personal data through SafeBoda app is neither transparent nor accountable to the users. 

Unwanted Witness’s recent analysis indicates that SafeBoda uses Facebook business tool known as Software Development Kit (SDK), collects information of SafeBoda users, including location, phone screen size and telecommunications provider, sends the data to Facebook without the users’ knowledge and consent, even when the user does not have a Facebook account.

The app’s privacy policy also falls short of the country’s Data Protection and Privacy Act, 2019.

A comprehensive report will be released soon. Watch this space!

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