Before and After GDPR: Tracking in Mobile Apps

Internet Policy Review, 10(4), 2021

33 Pages Posted: 5 May 2023 Last revised: 22 Aug 2023

See all articles by Konrad Kollnig

Konrad Kollnig

Law and Tech Lab, Faculty of Law, Maastricht University

Reuben Binns

University of Oxford

Max Van Kleek

University of Oxford - Department of Computer Science

Jun Zhao

University of Oxford - Computing Laboratory

Ulrik Lyngs

University of Oxford - Computing Laboratory

Claudine Tinsman

Independent

Nigel Shadbolt

University of Oxford - Computing Laboratory

Date Written: December 21, 2021

Abstract

Third-party tracking, the collection and sharing of behavioural data about individuals, is a significant and ubiquitous privacy threat in mobile apps. The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was introduced in 2018 to protect personal data better, but there exists, thus far, limited empirical evidence about its efficacy. This paper studies tracking in nearly two million Android apps from before and after the introduction of the GDPR. Our analysis suggests that there has been limited change in the presence of third-party tracking in apps, and that the concentration of tracking capabilities among a few large gatekeeper companies persists. However, change might be imminent.

Keywords: Personal data, Personal data protection, Mobile apps, Privacy, GDPR, Competition

Suggested Citation

Kollnig, Konrad and Binns, Reuben and Van Kleek, Max and Zhao, Jun and Lyngs, Ulrik and Tinsman, Claudine and Shadbolt, Nigel, Before and After GDPR: Tracking in Mobile Apps (December 21, 2021). Internet Policy Review, 10(4), 2021, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4372577

Konrad Kollnig (Contact Author)

Law and Tech Lab, Faculty of Law, Maastricht University ( email )

Bouillonstraat 1–3
Maastricht, 6211 LH
Netherlands

HOME PAGE: http://kollnig.net/

Reuben Binns

University of Oxford ( email )

Mansfield Road
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 4AU
United Kingdom

Max Van Kleek

University of Oxford - Department of Computer Science ( email )

Wolfson Building, Parks Road
Oxford
United Kingdom

Jun Zhao

University of Oxford - Computing Laboratory ( email )

Wolfson Building
Parks Road
Oxford, OX1 3QD
United Kingdom

Ulrik Lyngs

University of Oxford - Computing Laboratory ( email )

Wolfson Building
Parks Road
Oxford, OX1 3QD
United Kingdom

Claudine Tinsman

Independent ( email )

Nigel Shadbolt

University of Oxford - Computing Laboratory ( email )

Wolfson Building
Parks Road
Oxford, OX1 3QD
United Kingdom

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