(CBS 58) – Many phone apps are collecting your data, according to Symantec’s latest Internet Safety Report.

Experts from the study are calling smartphones the greatest spying device ever created and say it raises concerns for everyone.

For part of the study, researchers downloaded all of the free apps in iOS and Android. They say almost half of the Android apps asked for permission to track your location or access your camera. Security expert Kevin Haley says a quarter of iOS apps did the same.

“So they’re trying to get you permission to collect that data,” he said. “What they do with it, it’s not clear; they’re often hiding behind legal agreements.”

More information on the study and on internet security can be found on the Symantec website.

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