You might want uninstall Houseparty, expert calls it a privacy ‘trojan horse’
The group video chat app Houseparty has spiked in popularity after millions of people around the world began practicing social isolation amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Houseparty touts a slew of unique, easy-to-use features that make group video calls more fun, but it also comes with a plethora of privacy concerns.
Digital Privacy Expert Ray Walsh told Digital Trends that Houseparty users need to be aware that the app collects a “worrying amount of personal information.” This includes geolocation data, which Houseparty can theoretically use to track down its users. Walsh says the service is particularly scary considering how much information the government could glean from the app if it wanted to.
“If the pandemic continues for any prolonged period, the chances that apps like this could be placed under surveillance [by the US government] to monitor how COVID-19 is spreading is a very real possibility,” Walsh said. Gehan Gunasekara, an associate professor in commercial law at the University of Auckland, told Radio New Zealand that Houseparty is a privacy “trojan horse” that’s “able to basically track your every move.” By downloading and using the app, Gunasekara claims your allowing it to track your location, who you contact, how often you contact them, and more.
