Are your own devices spying on you?

Is it "Big Brother" or your phone that you should worry about?

The constant assault on privacy seems unavoidable in this digital age. When you think of being spied on, it's easy to think of the devices shared in "How to find out who's spying on you." Yet as you educate yourself against some obvious culprits invading your privacy, it might be hard to imagine that one of the most invasive entities is a product you use daily: your smartphone, computer or tablet.

Part of the appeal of such an intelligent device is that the phone and the apps it hosts collect information on your preferences and behaviors to anticipate your needs and make your life easier. However, a slew of apps does not need access to certain functions of your device or data to perform as needed.