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Meta collects three times more user data than Microsoft or Apple

EuroNews · 🇫🇷 public France · · 296 words · By Indrabati Lahiri
Big Tech Accountability Data privacy
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What to know about Big Tech Accountability

New research shows Meta's apps collect an average of 25 out of 35 possible data types, more than any other tech giant.

Claims checked 10
Techniques found 1
Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center83%
Right17%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

New research shows Meta's apps collect an average of 25 out of 35 possible data types, more than any other tech giant.

Why it matters

Meta could be collecting the most user data among Big Tech companies, according to new research by Surfshark, which analysed 171 Apple App Store apps made by Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon and Meta.

Common ground

Surfshark analysed apps based on 35 unique data categories, including browsing history, precise location, purchase data and more.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.euronews.com/next/2026/08/19/meta-collects-three-times-more-user-dat…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 10 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 4
help Insufficient Evidence 2
info Single Source 2
verified Verified 1
verified Verified By Reference 1
verified
Claim 1: “Surfshark analysed apps based on 35 unique data categories”
VERIFIED
The evidence explicitly states that Surfshark analyzed apps based on 35 unique data categories.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Closed-circuit television (CCTV), also known as video surveillance, is the use of closed-circuit television cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place on a limited set of monitors. It differs fr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed-circuit_television
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Social media became an important platform for interaction during the COVID-19 pandemic, coinciding with the onset of social distancing. According to a study conducted by Facebook's analytics departmen…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impact_of_the_COVID-19_pandemi…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Tomas Okmanas (born 5 November 1987) is a Lithuanian tech-driven entrepreneur and investor, and co-founder of multiple global startups across both B2C and B2B sectors. He co-founded and is co-chief ex…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomas_Okmanas
+ 3 more evidence sources
help
Claim 2: “Apple's 13 Utilities apps only gathered 6 data types on average, compared with 17 for Google's Utilities apps.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding the comparison of Utilities apps between Apple and Google.
check_circle
Claim 3: “Meta's apps collect an average of 25 out of 35 possible data types, more than any other tech giant.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web search results confirm that Meta apps collected an average of 25 out of 35 possible data types, ranking them as the most data-hungry.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — ChatGPT is a generative AI chatbot developed by OpenAI. Originally released on November 30, 2022, the product uses large language models—specifically generative pre-trained transformers (GPTs)—to gene…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChatGPT
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Meta Platforms, Inc. (doing business as Meta), headquartered in Menlo Park, California, is an American multinational technology company and is one of the Big Tech companies. Meta owns and operates sev…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta_Platforms
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Meta Quest Browser, known until 2024 as Oculus Browser, is a web browser developed by Meta Platforms for use on the Oculus Quest and its successor devices (Quest 2, Quest Pro, Quest 3), all of which u…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta_Quest_Browser
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 4: “browsing history is collected by 9 Meta apps, 11 Amazon apps and 8 Google apps.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific breakdown of browsing history collection (9 Meta, 11 Amazon, 8 Google) is mentioned in one specific report; other sources mention general collection but not these exact numbers.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Meta apps reported the highest average data collection in Surfshark's 2026 Big Tech analysis. Google and Amazon apps also collect multiple categories of user information.
https://www.analyticsinsight.net/apps/top-data-hungry-apps-t…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — google_logo Play. Games. Apps.* Phone: Allows the Amazon app to pre-populate the Amazon Customer Service number on your phone’s keypad. * Storage: Allows the Amazon app to store your preferences so th…
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.amazon.mSh…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Similarly, despite approximate location being enough for most features, browsing history is collected by 9 Meta apps, 11 Amazon apps and 8 Google apps.
https://dailyguardian.eu/meta-collects-three-times-more-user…
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Claim 5: “Seven of the most intrusive apps, including Facebook, Messenger and Meta AI were also all owned by the company. Others included Meta Horizon, Meta Ads Manager, Meta Business Suite and Forum.”
CORROBORATED
Web search results list Meta AI, Meta Horizon, Meta Business Suite, Meta Ads Manager, Messenger, Forum, and Facebook as the top data-hungry apps in the Surfshark analysis.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Meta AI is a research division of Meta (formerly Facebook) that develops artificial intelligence and augmented reality technologies. It has workspaces in Menlo Park, London, New York City, Paris, Seat…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta_AI
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Meta Platforms, Inc. (doing business as Meta), headquartered in Menlo Park, California, is an American multinational technology company and is one of the Big Tech companies. Meta owns and operates sev…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta_Platforms
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL) is an American artificial intelligence division of Meta Platforms, headquartered in Menlo Park, California, founded in June 2025. The division focuses on research and…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta_Superintelligence_Labs
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 6: “This was more than three times as much user data on average than other tech companies such as Microsoft and Apple.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the general study is corroborated, the specific 'three times as much' comparison to Microsoft and Apple is mentioned in the headlines/text of the primary reporting sources but not independently verified by a second distinct research entity or official report.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Meta suspended the program almost immediately, according to Business Insider, and said workers would be able to opt out if it’s ever reintroduced. There seem to be conflicting accounts of whether the …
https://www.fastcompany.com/91606241/what-happened-when-meta…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The numbers don’t lie. Is Apple really making a dent in Microsoft's long-standing Windows monopoly? Are mobile devices taking over tasks that used to be done by PCs? To answer these questions, I went …
https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-vs-apple-whos-winnin…
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web search NEUTRAL — Shares of Meta, the parent company of Facebook, fell more than 26 percent, a loss that wiped more than $230 billion off its market value.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/03/business/stock-market-tod…
help
Claim 7: “Amazon Alexa was the most data-hungry app outside the Meta collection, gathering 28 data types.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding Amazon Alexa's specific data count of 28.
check_circle
Claim 8: “new research by Surfshark, which analysed 171 Apple App Store apps made by Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon and Meta.”
CORROBORATED
Two independent sources confirm that Surfshark analyzed 171 Apple App Store apps from Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and Meta.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Google tersedia dalam bahasa: русский. Periklanan Serba-serbi Google Google.ru.
https://www.google.com/?hl=id
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Meta could be collecting the most user data among Big Tech companies, according to new research by Surfshark, which analysed 171 Apple App Store apps made by Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon and Meta.
https://dailyguardian.eu/meta-collects-three-times-more-user…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — After analyzing 171 Apple App Store apps from Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta, researchers found that Meta's apps are the most "data-hungry," collecting an average of 25 out of 35 possible …
https://itnerd.blog/2026/08/20/meta-and-google-are-the-most-…
verified
Claim 9: “Google collected 17 types of data, while Amazon collected 12 and Microsoft 8. Apple also collected 7 types of data.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of generic percentage calculators and Wikipedia entries for Amazon services, but does not contain the specific data counts (17, 12, 8, 7) for the companies mentioned.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Amazon Bedrock is a cloud computing service provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS) for building generative artificial intelligence applications. Launched in 2023, the platform provides a unified API to…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Bedrock
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) is a subsidiary of Amazon that provides on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs to individuals, companies, and governments, on a metered, pay-as-you-go basis. Clie…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Web_Services
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Big Tech, also known as the tech giants or tech titans, are the largest and most influential technology companies in the world. It most commonly refers to the five dominant firms in the U.S. technolog…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Tech
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 10: “Google owned the largest number of data-hungry apps, at 29 out of 40, compared to only 2 from Amazon and 9 from Meta.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that Google owned 29 of the top 40 data-hungry apps, Meta owned 9, and Amazon owned 2.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Google owned the largest number of data-hungry apps, at 29 out of 40, compared to only 2 from Amazon and 9 from Meta.
https://www.euronews.com/next/2026/08/19/meta-collects-three…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Google dominated the top 40 most data-hungry apps in our study, accounting for 29, compared with 9 from Meta and 2 from Amazon. The Google apps in this group collected between 18 and 26 data types eac…
https://surfshark.com/research/study/big-tech-data-collectio…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Twenty-nine Google apps appeared among those declaring the broadest data collection.Meta apps collected an average of 25 out of 35 possible data types. Meta AI ranked highest individually, declaring 3…
https://www.analyticsinsight.net/apps/top-data-hungry-apps-t…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.