CITT

    Scan results

    Beat the Microbead

    Android

    Beat the Microbead helps you scan cosmetics and personal care products to identify microplastics. Using advanced text recognition, simply photograph ingredient lists to see a traffic light rating showing products that contain plastic ingredients. Discover certified microplastic-free brands.

    CITT SCORE
    94
    out of 100
    TRUSTED

    Quick Verdict

    Best for: Shoppers wanting to avoid microplastics

    What It 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.

    Method and Limitations

    Static analysis only. CITT reviewed the code of this build without running the app, so runtime behavior was not observed. The findings below describe the analyzed build and may not reflect server-side controls or later versions. CITT makes no determination about compliance with any law or platform policy; it reports what the artifacts contain and cites the published guidance so a reader can compare.

    How CITT scores an app

    Findings (8)

    Data Security

    2 total
    1 Medium
    1 Low

    Network Security

    2 total
    1 Medium
    1 Low

    Code Security

    1 total
    1 Info

    Privacy

    3 total
    1 High
    1 Medium
    1 Info

    Third-Party Services

    Firebase ML Vision, Firebase Analytics, Firebase Crashlytics, Firebase Cloud Messaging, Google Play Services Measurement, Google Play Services Vision, Google Play Services Ads Identifier, OkHttp, Retrofit, Moshi, Lottie, Coil, Koin, Room, DataStore, AndroidX Camera2

    Security Strengths

    • ✓HTTPS-only API communication with proper certificate validation
    • ✓Minimal exported components (only 3) with proper permission protection
    • ✓No WebView usage eliminates XSS and JavaScript injection risks
    • ✓SQL injection prevention via parameterized Room queries
    • ✓No hardcoded server-side secrets or credentials
    What changed since the last scan

    Version diff is on the Developer plan. See developer plans.

    Context Tags

    environmental
    product scanning
    camera
    ocr
    analytics
    gdpr
    consumer awareness

    Package

    org.plasticsoupfoundation.microbeads

    Version

    3.2.0 (Build 26)

    Analysis Date

    Mar 7, 2026

    Classes Analyzed

    5,858

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    View on Play Store

    Recommendation: Trustworthy

    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

    CategoryScore
    Security95/100
    Privacy93/100
    Data Security97/100
    Network Security97/100
    Code Safety100/100
    Data Collection93/100
    Data Sharing100/100
    User Control93/100

    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

    FieldValue
    AppBeat the Microbead
    Packageorg.plasticsoupfoundation.microbeads
    Version3.2.0 (Build 26)
    Scan Date2026-03-07

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