# Data Privacy and Navigation: How our personal data is used in Navigation Apps.
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-08-05
Category: TECHNOLOGY
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/technology
Meta Title: The Impact of Navigation Apps on Data Privacy
Meta Description: Discover how driver-centric navigation apps prioritize privacy and data security, ensuring your personal information remains safe and anonymous while you
URL: https://financedigest.com/data-privacy-and-navigation-how-our-personal-data-is-used-in-navigation-appshtml

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_By_ **_Anna_** [**_Krzyzanowska_**](https://app.slack.com/team/U0LM34RE2) **_,_** _Product Manager,_ [_TomTom GO Navigation_](https://tomtom.co/GOnav)

The creation of satellite navigation allowed for a huge amount of freedom for drivers. Getting from A to B was made easy with hardware which contained a whole city’s worth of data on one small screen. The birth of the smartphone ushered in an era of hand-held navigation, with apps that connect to the internet to help us find our way, but with this came new challenges.

Traditional navigation hardware was made with one purpose, which is to navigate and direct. [Smartphones come with an amalgamation of other features all running on top](https://www.financedigest.com/top-10-retro-phone-features-we-would-like-to-see-in-modern-smartphones.html "Top 10 retro phone features we would like to see in modern smartphones") of one another which can be a cause for concern. Most of us are already aware that using certain [services means that our data](https://www.financedigest.com/data-fake-will-be-the-new-real-in-financial-services-in-2023.html "Data: Fake will be the new real in financial services in 2023") is being collected. But we tend to forget that some navigation apps can also be a part of this.

Navigation apps will use data, whether this be ‘internet data’ or a [collection of more personal data](https://www.thezebra.com/resources/driving/what-map-apps-track/), such as where you’re going and with whom. The mobile [data used to download information](https://www.financedigest.com/what-is-a-virtual-data-room-unveil-the-essential-information-here.html "What is a Virtual Data Room? Unveil the Essential Information Here!") and updates relies on an internet connection. Some popular navigation apps will use an [average of 2.23MB](https://mygpstools.com/how-much-data-does-google-maps-use-save-traffic) of data for every hour that you’re on the road – and will also drain your battery while it’s running. Driver-centric navigation apps have created [downloadable](https://www.financedigest.com/40000-downloads-of-e-money-app-devere-vault-by-end-of-2017.html "40,000+ downloads of e-money app deVere Vault by end of 2017") maps by country for this exact reason – this means you can easily travel with the app whether you’re at home or overseas.  While we do associate these apps with cellular data, we often forget the other [data that these apps use – personal](https://www.financedigest.com/five-ways-to-keep-your-personal-data-safe-from-hackers.html "Five ways to keep your personal data safe from hackers").

Privacy has been a [trending topic for a few years](https://www.financedigest.com/three-waves-of-fintech-disruption-leading-trends-for-the-year-ahead.html "Three waves of Fintech disruption: Leading trends for the year ahead") now. Users trust companies to do the right thing with this data, however this [isn’t always](https://www.financedigest.com/fintech-at-risk-why-multi-factor-authentication-isnt-always-the-answer.html "FinTech At Risk: Why Multi-Factor Authentication Isn’t Always the Answer") the case. [Apps need](https://www.financedigest.com/investment-needs-design-led-apps-to-find-their-purpose.html "Investment needs design led apps to find their purpose") to make a profit, and this is sometimes done through data. Targeted suggestions tend to come from this. Balancing convenience of these features, while still remaining respectful of users [privacy can be a juggling act](https://www.financedigest.com/privacy-vs-security-is-the-cybersecurity-information-sharing-act-beneficial.html "PRIVACY VS SECURITY: IS THE CYBERSECURITY INFORMATION SHARING ACT BENEFICIAL?") for most navigation apps.

Target ads also stem from this same system, this data is collected and then used to [promote ads which link to your lifestyle](https://www.financedigest.com/mindbody-uk-launches-new-consumer-app-to-help-promote-a-more-active-lifestyle-in-the-uk.html "Mindbody UK Launches New Consumer App To Help Promote A More Active Lifestyle In The UK"). These navigation apps are also often [linked to another larger company who use this data](https://www.financedigest.com/reckon-introduces-link-to-bank-data-to-help-small-businesses-streamline-the-reconciliation-process.html "Reckon introduces link to bank data to help small businesses streamline the reconciliation process "). Searched for ‘Movies near me’? You’ll most likely [see some cinema ads appearing on your devices in the next](https://www.financedigest.com/britains-next-sees-lower-profit-in-2023-as-consumer-outlook-darkens.html "Britain’s Next sees lower profit in 2023 as consumer outlook darkens") few days. Some of these ads appear in the navigation app itself, which can be distracting and unsafe for drivers. So while our names may be anonymous, our lifestyles are not. We can choose to opt-out of certain things, however when you use these [apps you’re agreeing to terms and conditions which you may not be so happy with once you read the fine](https://www.financedigest.com/apple-given-fourth-dutch-fine-in-app-store-dispute.html "Apple given fourth Dutch fine in App Store dispute") print.

Not all of these navigation apps are the same. Apps which specialize in navigation, which are driver focused, tend to place a higher value on the privacy of their clients and take steps to ensure that this [data is safe](https://www.financedigest.com/your-money-is-safe-but-your-data-might-not-be.html "YOUR MONEY IS SAFE, BUT YOUR DATA MIGHT NOT BE") and completely anonymous. While some of these apps may require a subscription, it comes with the assurance that your [data is safe and is not shared](https://www.financedigest.com/shares-steady-dollar-gains-ahead-of-u-s-inflation-data.html "Shares steady, dollar gains ahead of U.S. inflation data") with any third parties. These types of apps don’t rely on [targeted advertising or sharing your private information with other companies](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-toughens-up-diversity-targets-for-uk-companies.html "Britain toughens up diversity targets for UK companies"). The data used in our [TomTom GO Navigation App](https://tomtom.co/GOnav) is to provide drivers with the most accurate ETA’s on the market and to ensure you’re getting from A to B as efficiently as possible.

Through apps using this data ethically, you’re able to improve the [driving experience while protecting](https://www.financedigest.com/protecting-the-finance-team-from-burnout-to-drive-employee-retention.html "Protecting the finance team from burnout to drive employee retention") your personal information. It allows us for a much [higher level of control of data](https://www.financedigest.com/dollar-advances-as-strong-u-s-data-backs-higher-rates-backdrop.html "Dollar advances as strong U.S. data backs higher rates backdrop") and this data is fully anonymized without permanent storage.

Overall, there seems to be a misconception that your data is, and should, be used, when in fact it’s the opposite. [Tracking and collecting of personal data](https://www.financedigest.com/auditing-in-cyber-how-organisations-can-keep-track-of-their-data.html "AUDITING IN CYBER: HOW ORGANISATIONS CAN KEEP TRACK OF THEIR DATA") for advertising purposes should not be considered the norm. Personal privacy should be valued above all else and you shouldn’t be [personally identifiable under any circumstances](https://www.financedigest.com/the-personal-circumstances-currently-driving-equity-release-enquiries-and-how-to-reach-the-right-decision.html "The personal circumstances currently driving equity release enquiries and how to reach the right decision"). This ethos is what should be considered innovative to these companies, not making [money off users](https://www.financedigest.com/yolt-becomes-first-money-app-to-complete-the-integration-of-all-new-users-via-an-open-banking-api.html "Yolt becomes first money app to complete the integration of all new users via an Open Banking API"), but ensuring that their experience is seamless, and most importantly safe.


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