data you want to share and how it s being used so you can make the appropriate decisions for yourself. reporter: his company designed an app for android devices that gives users full transparency of what private information the application is taking. for example, seven apps on this smartphone all considered reputable track location. but the question users should ask themselves is why. for example, a mapping application needs to know your location to display your most display maps where you are. reporter: another ten apps know the mobile phone s i.d. number, the most common reason is to preserve settings if they reinstall an app and to track how much they use the app. finally four applications have access to the contact list, that might make you squeamish, but most app developers use that information to make it easier to share content like photos with people in your address book, still, it s unsettling to some that the app developer would have access to your private contacts. ap