Semester of Graduation

Spring 2025

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Computer Science and Engineering

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

What is privacy in a world where people are more connected than ever? Due to the Internet and its rapid advancement, the way information is shared and accessed has fundamentally changed. Millions of people interact with social networks, websites, and applications daily—and with each interaction, some data is collected from the user. In many cases, users cannot access a website or application without first accepting the service’s Privacy Policy. However, these policies often obscure the details of how a consumer’s data is handled, burying important information under dense legal language. In response to growing concerns about transparency, some platforms have recently begun requiring simplified data safety descriptions. These aim to break down complex privacy policies into clear, concise language, making it easier for users to understand what data is being collected, how it’s used, and who it’s shared with. While this is a step in the right direction, questions remain about whether these simplified explanations are enough to truly inform users—or if they simply serve as another layer of compliance without meaningful transparency. Thus, in this thesis, we examine the discrepancies between the data safety labels submitted by organizations on the Google Play Store and their actual privacy practices as described in their privacy policies. This analysis is conducted on a dataset of 1,000 Android applications. To compare the stated and actual practices, we employ two distinct methods: Cosine Similarity, which measures keyword overlap using term frequency, and Contextual Analysis, which evaluates similarity based on language use and semantic meaning. The results of our study reveal a significant level of inconsistency between the data safety labels provided by applications and the actual privacy practices outlined in their policies. While Google Play’s Data Safety section represents a positive step toward enhancing transparency between users and service providers, our findings indicate that further efforts are needed to ensure greater accuracy and build a truly trustworthy digital environment.

Date

4-3-2025

Committee Chair

Ali-Gombe, Aisha

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