Study Reveals TikTok, Alibaba, Temu Collect Extensive User Data in America

A new study by the data privacy firm Incogni, shared with Hackread.com, has revealed that a majority of the most-downloaded foreign apps in the US are still aggressively collecting and sharing user data.

The research focused on the ten most popular applications from outside the country and found that over half of them are owned by Chinese companies.

The study, published on August 26, 2025, shows just how dominant these apps have become. According to the findings, the apps studied have been downloaded an estimated 1 billion times in the US, and 755 million of those downloads are from Chinese-owned apps alone.

Incogni’s researchers found that Chinese apps are particularly “data-hungry.” On average, they collect 18 different types of data from each American user and share around six of those data types with other companies.

The report highlights TikTok as the biggest concern, as it was found to collect 24 types of data, including sensitive information like users’ names, home addresses, and phone numbers.

Other popular apps also showed concerning practices. The e-commerce giant Alibaba can access user photos, videos, and documents, while Temu collects location data and a list of installed apps.

Shein was noted for a different, yet equally alarming, pattern, sharing an astonishing 12 of the 17 types of data it collects. Other apps, including AliExpress and the Cyprus-based app ABPV, also share users’ approximate locations.

The study also included DramaBox, Telegram, and Talkie, with most apps in the top 10 collecting an average of 15 data types and sharing 5 of those types. The graph below provides a visual breakdown of the data types collected and shared by the most popular foreign apps.

As evident, Alibaba, AliExpress, and ABPV (America’s best pics, vids) collect or share a user’s approximate and precise location. Similarly, AliExpress and DramaBox, collect purchase history, and both Alibaba and Shein collect and share users’ email addresses and names for advertising.

The report also explains that this data is often used for targeted advertising. Companies use this information to create detailed profiles of users to influence their buying habits, and in some cases, even personalize prices, which is a major departure from the standard pricing models most people are used to. These apps can even share user emails with third parties, contributing to a rise in unwanted spam.

“Many of these apps are quietly collecting and sharing personal information like names, addresses, and approximate locations, leaving users extremely vulnerable to third-party breaches,” Incogni’s Head, Darius Belejevas. “People deserve to know how and where their information is being used, along with ways to manage or prevent that use,” Belejevas argued.

The study warns that this widespread data collection is not just a privacy issue but also a national security risk, as some foreign governments have been linked to similar data thefts in the past.