How shopping apps collect data Larkina says shopping apps are also used to collect data related to purchase history, location, and even offline presence near physical stores.

China is using app to collect personal information on its citizens, report says The app's use is detailed in a new report by an international watchdog group.

The malware checks for specific apps on the device, clones them into the virtual space, and uses the cloned version to collect data and track user behavior.