Beat the Microbead Security & Privacy Scorecard
Android
Firebase Analytics and Google's advertising identifier are used to track app usage. User data stays on the device and is not sold or shared with third parties beyond standard Google services.
Best for
Shoppers wanting to avoid microplastics
Findings
- 0 critical
- 1 high
- 3 medium
- 2 low
- 3 info
1 issue identified across security and privacy analysis.
Top security issues
- Cleartext Traffic Exception for IP Address
- Backup Configuration Allows Data Exposure
- Unencrypted Local Database
Top privacy issues
- Pre-Consent Analytics Initialization (GDPR Violation)
- Google Advertising ID Collection Without Consent
- Install Referrer Attribution Tracking
Full analysis
Beat the Microbead
What This Means for You
Firebase Analytics and Google's advertising identifier are used to track app usage. User data stays on the device and is not sold or shared with third parties beyond standard Google services.
Recommendation: Trustworthy
Best For: Shoppers wanting to avoid microplastics
Key Findings
Data Security - 2 findings (1 medium, 1 low)
Network Security - 2 findings (1 medium, 1 low)
Code Safety - 0 findings
Privacy - 3 findings (1 high, 1 medium, 1 info)
Privacy Concerns
What Data is Collected
Firebase Analytics collects information about how the app is used, including which features are interacted with and how often. Google's advertising identifier links activity to a unique device ID used for ad targeting across other apps on the phone.
Third-Party Data Sharing
Usage data is shared with Google through Firebase Analytics and Google Play Services. The app does not pass user information to other companies or data brokers.
Understanding the Scores
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Security | 95/100 |
| Privacy | 93/100 |
| Data Security | 97/100 |
| Network Security | 97/100 |
| Code Safety | 100/100 |
| Data Collection | 93/100 |
| Data Sharing | 100/100 |
| User Control | 93/100 |
Positive Security Features
- The app limits data sharing to Firebase and Google's own services, keeping user information within Google's ecosystem.
- User history and preferences are stored locally on the device rather than uploaded to external servers.
- The app achieves a perfect code safety rating, reflecting careful engineering and high-quality implementation standards.
Areas for Improvement
- Google's advertising identifier is active, which links activity within this app to a device-level ID used for targeting ads across other apps on the phone.
- Some communications between the app and external services could apply stronger safeguards, as user data may not be fully protected during transmission.
- The app's data collection settings offer limited options for users to reduce or opt out of usage tracking.
About This Analysis
App Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| App | Beat the Microbead |
| Package | org.plasticsoupfoundation.microbeads |
| Version | 3.2.0 (Build 26) |
| Scan Date | 2026-03-07 |
Versions & scan history
| Scan | Date | Overall score |
|---|---|---|
| #1 (current) | 94/100 |