Hallow

Credit where credit is due -- of the 32 app makers we emailed with our privacy questions when we began our research into mental health and prayer apps, Hallow is the only one who replied to us and quickly answered all our questions. Good work Hallow, we appreciate you!

So, how does Hallow's privacy practices look? They say they collect personal information, including name, email, phone number, gender (inferred based on your name), and IP address, as well as things like app usage data, prayer minutes, and the text of personal journal entries. Some of this personal data (not private sensitive personal data like your journal entries) they say they can use for targeted interest-based and behavioral advertising, which we don't love. And they do say they can share data with a number of third parties, including advertising and marketing partners which, again, we don't love.

When we first published our review of Hallow, we found they allowed the use of a relatively weak password. We were able to login with the password "111111". Since publishing our review, Hallow has updated their password requirement to require users to login with a strong password. This removed our *Privacy Not Included warning label. We appreciate Hallow taking this step to better secure their app. Hallow also says they will be adding text-message verification code sign up soon too, which is great, as we like two-factor authentication here at *Privacy Not Included.

What's the worst that could happen. Well, you could download and use Hallow and before you know it, you and all your friends and family now see targeted Hallow ads everywhere you go. Soon the guilt sets in that you're not using your Hallow prayer app enough because life got busy. Now you feel like you need to go ask your priest for forgiveness. Three Hail Mary's later and you're all good. Here's hoping that doesn't happen...or that really is the worst thing that happens.