Investigations reveal Android users' data is passed to ad networks

According to an investigation by a United Kingdom information security company, MWR Infosecurity, a significant number of top 50 "free" Android apps actually generate money for the developer and advertisers by passing on details about the phone's user to an American advertising network - a move that may breach European data protection laws.

With roughly a quarter of the UK's phone users using Android phones, and with millions of apps downloaded every month - often for free, supported by advertising, rather than paid-for - the gap in security is a source of concern.

The code that MWR Infosecurity found gave advertising networks access to contacts, calendar and location. It came from a large US ad network called MobClix which had not responded to repeated requests for comment.

MobClix is owned by Velti, a United States-based company which claims to be the largest mobile marketing company, based on revenue, customers, consumer reach and technology holdings.

Apple has recently come under fire too after it was discovered that some apps can upload all or part of the user's address book, and more recently when it was found that for both Apple and Android phones that some apps could access photos on the devices.

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