Privacy Leak: free game to master app permissions and privacy

What is Privacy Leak?

Four chapters, four new apps for the gang: a sticker editor, a weather app, bike navigation and a video-call app. Every one opens asking for the maximum: all your photos, precise location always, every contact, tracking. Read what you actually want the app to do, then set each permission to the least that job needs.

Privacy Leak is a free privacy game with the gang. In four short chapters, Zip, Buffer, Thumby and Skip each install a new made-up app: a photo sticker editor, a weather app, a bike navigation app and a messaging app for video calls with Grandma. Every app opens with each permission set to the maximum it asks for.

You read what you actually want the app to do, then set each permission to the least that job needs: location (none, approximate or precise, only while using or always), contacts and photos (none, selected or all), camera and microphone, tracking across other apps, and background data. Install the app and every setting is explained: just right, a leak, or a feature you broke by going too far.

At a glance

Category

Adventure

Difficulty

Medium

Play time

4–6 min

Price

Free, in your browser, sign-up optional

How to play

Read the job

Each app comes with what you want it to do, like "show the weather where you are" or "video call Grandma".

Dial it down

Every permission starts at the maximum. Pick the least it needs: Don't allow, approximate or precise location, only while using, selected contacts or photos.

Install

Each setting is marked just right, a leak (too much) or a broken feature (too little), with the reason.

Score

100 per setting just right, +100 for a perfect app. An app that leaks costs a life: 3 lives.

Scoring

Each of the 22 permissions across 4 apps scores 100 when it's set to exactly what the app's job needs, plus 100 for each app with every setting right. A perfect run scores 2,600.

More than needed is a leak: an app with any leak costs one of 3 lives. Less than needed breaks a feature and scores nothing for that setting.

What it trains

Least privilege

Giving each app only what its job needs, and nothing just because it asked.

Location settings

Telling approximate from precise, and only while using from always.

Sharing selectively

Selected photos and contacts instead of everything, and saying no to tracking across other apps.

Strategy and tips

Start from the job

Read what you want the app to do first. Any permission that job doesn't use should be off.

Approximate is often enough

Weather and nearby shops only need your area. Precise location is for turn-by-turn directions.

Only while using

Most apps never need your location, camera or mic when they're closed.

Pick, don't hand over

Selected photos and selected contacts give an app what it needs without your whole camera roll or address book.

Don't break what you need

A video call needs camera and mic, and a messaging app needs background data to ring when it's closed.

Why play Privacy Leak?

Apps ask for more than they need because data is valuable, and most people tap Allow without reading. Least privilege, giving each app only what its job requires and only while you use it, is the habit that keeps your location, contacts and photos where they belong. Privacy Leak makes that habit quick and concrete.

Frequently asked questions