World Cup Fans Face Privacy Concerns as Qatar Mandates Controversial Apps

The two apps would give the Qatari authorities very broad access to the data contained in the visitors’ smartphones (Android and iOS), including Moroccan supporters, allowing them to read, delete or modify the content and even make direct calls. For this reason, the French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) and other international organizations advise visitors not to go to Qatar with their everyday smartphones.

The French organization rather recommends that travelers install the apps before their departure, and delete them as soon as they return to France. It also invites them to "limit as much as possible connections to services that require authentication." These apps could take advantage of this to recover their identifiers and passwords. About 1.5 million travelers, including Moroccans, are expected to go to Qatar to attend the World Cup.