These Christmas party games might be stealing your data – here’s how to stop it

The holidays are here, and with them come family gatherings, dodgy jumpers, and the best part—party games! But before you dive into Monopoly Go! or turn yourself into a dancing elf with ElfYourself, here’s something you might not know: those apps? They’re not just about fun—they’re also gobbling up your data faster than you can say “Merry Christmas.”

Surfshark’s latest research spills the beans: apps like Monopoly Go!, Hexa Sort, and ElfYourself collect and share personal info—everything from your location to your email address—with third parties. Some track up to 13 different data points per user. Talk about a sneaky Grinch move!

Here’s the kicker: while nearly half of us Brits (46%) are downloading these apps, two-thirds (68%) haven’t touched them in months. That means even when you’re not playing, the apps are quietly collecting your data in the background.

And it doesn’t stop there. Nearly half of UK parents (46%) are planning to buy tech gifts for their kids this Christmas, but only 22% will bother setting up parental controls on the day. Ouch.

Here’s the deal: Surfshark is urging everyone to do a quick “digital spring clean” to protect their privacy—and their kids’.

Key stats and risks for your radar:

• Almost half of Brits (46%) have one or more party game apps downloaded on their phone, ready for the festive season.
• Yet, over two thirds (68%) haven’t accessed these apps in the past three months, with a third (32%) not using them for six months or more.
• Most data-hungry apps: Monopoly Go!, Hexa Sort, ElfYourself, and their data-snacking buddies.
• Tracking troubles: Apps share personal data with data brokers who serve up targeted ads.
• Golden rule: If it’s free, you’re paying with your privacy.

We’re encouraging families to keep themselves safe this Christmas by deleting unused apps and reviewing their app permissions for the apps they are using. Not only will this improve device performance and save battery life, but it also prevents personal data – including location, search history and even photos or videos – from being stored and used for advertising, or other unintended purposes.

Our key tips to tackle data hungry apps includes:

1. Delete unused apps once the party’s over (trust us, you won’t miss them).
2. Go premium—paid versions collect less data.
3. Review app permissions—nobody needs to know your location during Christmas dinner.
4. Teach the kids some digital street smarts, like spotting dodgy links and keeping personal info private.

Methodology

This research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2000 general respondents aged 18+ (Nationally Representative). The data was collected between 26.11.24 and 28.11.24. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.

App Research Methodology

Surfshark analysed 21 popular mobile game apps selected from the UK App Store Top Board Games and Family Games list (Paid and Free), alongside 5 Christmas apps highlighted in a recent Best Christmas apps for iPhone and Android by 360-Reader, which included: countdowns, photo editing, humour, music, and gift shopping aids.

The data collection information for each app was sourced from its Apple App Store page on December 4, 2024. The App Store provides a list of

35 unique data points categorised into 16 unique data point categories. We analysed the data set according to the number, type, and handling of the data points collected by each app.

Note on data used to track the user: “Tracking refers to the act of linking user or device data collected from your app with user or device data collected from other companies’ apps, websites, or offline properties for targeted advertising or advertising measurement purposes. Tracking also refers to sharing user or device data with data brokers.”

About

Surfshark is a cybersecurity company focused on developing humanised privacy and security solutions. The Surfshark One suite includes one of the very few VPNs audited by independent security experts, an officially certified antivirus, a private search tool, and a data leak alert system. Surfshark is recognised as the Tech Advisor’s Editor’s Choice for 2024.

For more information and information on our latest research projects, visit our research hub at: https://surfshark.com/research

Feature Image by Firmbee from Pixabay