Muslim Pro, one of the world’s most popular Islamic apps with more than 170 million downloads globally, has implemented significant changes to its data practices following allegations in 2020 regarding user data sharing. CEO and Group Managing Director Nafees Khundker spoke about the company’s response to these concerns and the steps taken to strengthen user privacy.
“It all started from Vice’s Motherboard,” Khundker explains. “There was nothing else, initially.”
In November 2020, Vice’s Motherboard published an investigation claiming Muslim Pro had shared user location data with X-Mode, a data broker that allegedly sold information to defense contractors and, ultimately, the U.S. military. The report caused significant concern among the app’s global user base, with many questioning whether their personal information was being compromised.
“A lot of people asked us questions and they were thinking that maybe the data could be exploited,” says Khundker. “Some people even had concerns about profiling and/or discrimination, for that matter, trust, and whether this was a safe place for everyone to come in and practice their Islamic faith.”
Muslim Pro immediately responded by terminating its relationship with X-Mode and other data partners. In a statement at the time, the company said: “In respect of the trust millions of prayers puts in Muslim Pro every day, we are immediately terminating our relationships with our data partners — including with X-Mode.”
What Data Was Shared?
Khundker emphasizes that even before the controversy, the company never shared personally identifiable information.
“We have said many times that we never shared any individual data or personal data with anyone and we still do not do that,” Khundker says. “That’s No. 1. All data were anonymized. We never said, ‘OK, someone was in this particular location.'”
He further clarifies that the data in question was used primarily for advertising purposes rather than surveillance, which was the main concern raised in the Motherboard investigation. According to Khundker, X-Mode’s CEO confirmed in court that the company “had no relationship with the U.S. military at that point, when we started working with them,” contradicting some of the implications in the original reporting.
Enhanced Data Practices
Since the 2020 incident, Muslim Pro has overhauled its approach to data management and third-party partnerships. Khundker detailed several changes implemented to better protect user information.
“We have a very, very strong process of managing data. Very few people will ever have access to individual data,” he says, adding that even as CEO, he doesn’t have access to user-specific information.
One of the most significant changes involves how the app handles location data, which is necessary for core features like prayer time notifications and qibla, the direction that Muslims face during prayers.
“For our app, even for us, we do not even track a person’s location unless, of course, the person comes and uses the prayer time location,” Khundker explains. “If the person is in Singapore and asks, ‘What are the prayer times here?’ but tomorrow, if that person is in Indonesia and changes the location to Indonesia, we don’t even keep the information for Singapore anymore.”
Thorough Due Diligence
This challenge prompted Muslim Pro to significantly strengthen its vetting process for any potential partners, particularly those that might handle user data.
“We do a way more thorough due diligence on everyone before we start working with them,” Khundker points out. “After 2020, we won’t work with any partners that do not meet our security requirements.”
This enhanced process includes multiple layers of assessment, beginning with internal research into a company’s history and practices.
“Initially, we do a desktop research, of course, where internally someone goes and checks all the documents and does their own research about the history of the company and what they do,” Khundker shares. “After that, if needed, if we see that there is more to be done, we engage external parties to do due diligence.”
The company now evaluates potential partners based on their core values, purpose, and alignment with Muslim Pro’s mission, as well as reviewing their privacy and data policies.
Special Considerations for Faith-Based Apps
Khundker acknowledges that privacy concerns take on added significance for apps serving religious communities, as users may be particularly sensitive about information related to their practices.
“Faith is something people practice at home. It’s very personal to each individual,” he notes.
This sensitivity has been amplified in recent decades. “After 2001, a lot of things have changed,” Khundker says, referencing how concerns about profiling and discrimination based on faith have become more prevalent globally.
Muslim Pro has responded to these concerns by implementing additional safeguards, including enhanced filtering for advertisements displayed in the app and a two-layer consent system before collecting any location data.
Khundker stresses that data selling isn’t part of Muslim Pro’s business model and never has been. The company generates revenue primarily through advertising and premium subscriptions, with the majority of features remaining free to users while maintaining privacy standards.
“We are not actually in the business of selling data anyway. That’s not our business at all,” he states. “We don’t need that data.”
Muslim Pro: What’s Next?
As Muslim Pro continues to expand its offerings to become what Khundker describes as “the digital home for all things Muslim,” maintaining user trust remains paramount.
Khundker believes the enhanced transparency and stronger data practices have helped rebuild user confidence. “We believe that we came out of that with our users, who remain with us today. Actually, we have their trust with us now.”
The Muslim Pro case highlights the broader challenges faced by developers of faith-based apps in balancing functionality, which often requires some level of data collection, with the heightened privacy expectations of their users.
Muslim Pro continues to update its privacy practices in line with evolving global standards, including compliance with directives like the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, as it works to maintain its position as a trusted resource for Muslims worldwide.
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