Are we giving up too much information for free online?

SINGAPORE — Here’s a bit of friendly advice when it comes to apps: Just because it doesn’t ask for money doesn’t mean it’s free.

When you download a free app, especially if it’s from Google Play, you might actually be paying with other currencies, such as data and control.

The selfie app Meitu made no secret of the fact that it asks for more permissions than it should need to run on your phone. The app can find out your call information, device identifier number as well as what other apps you have installed.

(On iOS, Meitu can’t access some of that, but it still can access the name of your cell carrier as well as detect whether your phone is jailbroken or not.)

The thing is: Any app that asks for too many permissions shouldn’t be on your phone. The good thing about the Google Play store is that it will list out the permissions you need to approve for apps and ask for approval.

Of course, a lot of these permissions shouldn’t be allowed on any app. Indeed, why should an app have access to data about which carrier you’re on, for instance?

Apple is far more restrictive about what data an app can procure, but the company could still do better when it comes to ascertaining what data apps should be allowed to access.

This, of course, means more vetting needs to be done for app developers. Google Play’s openness is both a blessing and a curse. The reality is that it is too easy for malicious apps to get on the store, all in the name of freedom.

That shouldn’t be the case. At the very least, there should be some vetting at the developer stage to ensure that malware doesn’t get on someone’s phone.

At the user level, consumers need to quit using pirated apps or using not gotten from app stores. If you can afford a smartphone, you can afford to buy the odd app, or if you’re really skint, choose free apps from less dodgy sources.

As the old saying goes, information is power — so you shouldn’t it up so easily. Of course, we do end up giving up a certain amount of our personal data — whether we like it or not — such as our email providers.

Having a Gmail account basically makes you beholden to Google — as painful as that truth might be.

Still, if you must give up your data, make sure it’s worth it. Give it to someone whom you know will not use it for nefarious purposes or sell it to the highest bidder.

Your data could actually make some people a lot of money — so don’t be too quick to give it up for free.

A version of this story first appeared on Stuff Singapore.