October 10/3/25 Tech Tips

Staying careful in app stores. Five easy tips to follow when downloading apps!

Background:

Between apps used for logging into services, business apps, apps to help you with daily tasks, and just general apps, everyone finds keeping track of how many apps are on their phone is an overwhelming task. People are constantly downloading or updating new features, but what are we really uploading? One study found that people unbeknownst to them agreed to give a fictional company their future firstborn children after they signed the terms of agreement and services. So keep an eye on just what exactly you are agreeing to.

1. Third-Party App Stores or Websites

Why go anywhere else but the Android Play Store or Apple's App Store? These two services vet apps ahead of time for malicious software or unsafe applications. The Play Store will even hide apps whose software hasn't been updated in a while, leaving them vulnerable. Even if any unscrupulous apps make their way in, Google takes them down faster than you can blink! Any app store that is not first-party is definitely not worth wasting time on.

2. Terms of Service Agreement

As much as everyone hates to read them, the terms of service are actually a good indication of whether something is wrong with the application. If it is completely indescribable, they are probably trying to hide something. Anything that requires implicit agreement or consent should also be avoided. Do your best to skim the agreement just so you know on a base level what you are agreeing to. If you don't have the time, though, check out Terms of Service; Didn't Read website. They have groups of people collaborating on whether or not an app can be trusted, and they will give you a breakdown of what you are saying yes to.

3. Check Reviews

An easy one is how many reviews does it have, and are they mostly positive? Anything that has consistently bad reviews isn't going to be an app you want to download. Double-check that it also has a plethora of downloads. The more people that are using it, generally means it is not out to steal your data.

4. App Permissions

You might have noticed apps asking permissions for location or camera. This makes sense for restaurant apps or camera-related apps; however, you should always be wary of apps asking for permissions it doesn't need, like a calendar app needing access to your microphone. An app with permission to look into call logs and Wi-Fi settings when it doesn't need to is an app to avoid. Most legitimate apps can also still function with these permissions off, so a blanket no is always an option.

5. Acting Out

If you do download an app and then find the device is acting suspiciously, it could have installed malware on it. So if your battery drains quickly, it overheats, or crashes frequently after downloading a new app, you should certainly think about deleting it. If you are not sure whether it is the app or perhaps just your phone, a good rule of thumb is to consider the timing of it all and to update your phone. Double-check that these things are not simply issues that a regular update will not fix, then delete the app.

I hope you have found these tech tips helpful! Please feel free to share these tips out or contact us with questions or comments.

Article used with permission from The Technology Press.