Was Our Data from Muslim Pro Really Sold To the U.S. Military?

The U.S. Military has purchased global movement data from a wide-array of apps including Muslim Pro–yes, that Muslim Pro. If, like me, you’re one of the nearly 98 million users worldwide who rely on the Muslim prayer and Quran app on a daily basis, then it’s time to hit delete and explore other options. Your data is being sold to the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), a wing of the U.S. Military, that specializes in counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, and special reconnaissance.

Do you feel betrayed? Angry? Deceived? You’re not alone. Twitter was quick to call out the companies.

Muslim Pro, the Muslim prayer app with over 98 million downloads is one of the apps connected to a wide-ranging supply chain that sends ordinary people's personal data to brokers, contractors, and the military.

I hate that I'm shocked but damn https://t.co/WNAcmcZEUQ

— Rowaida Abdelaziz (@Rowaida_Abdel) November 16, 2020

The app, called Muslim Pro, collects user location data to tell them what time to pray and which direction Mecca is in. It then sells that data to a company called X-Mode, which sells to U.S. military contractors

— Jason Koebler (@jason_koebler) November 16, 2020

In an attempt tp get to the bottom of the story, I reached out to Muslim Pro and questioned them about the allegations. Here is what they had to say:

Dear Jessica Daqamsseh,

Thank you for reaching out. Please find below Muslim Pro’s position on this matter. 

On 16 November 2020, Vice media reported that the Muslim prayer app Muslim Pro was selling personal data of its users to the US Military. This is incorrect and untrue.

The protection and respect of the privacy of our users is Muslim Pro’s outmost priority. As one of the most trusted Muslim app over the last 10 years, we adhere to the most stringent privacy standards and data protection regulations, and never share any personal identifiable information. Since we were made aware of the situation, we have launched an internal investigation and are reviewing our data governance policy to confirm that all user data was handled in line with all existing requirements.

Regardless, 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, which started four weeks ago. We will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure that our users practice their faith with peace of mind, which remains Muslim Pro’s sole mission since its creation.

We remain available for any further questions.

Sincerely,

Zahariah Jupary

Muslim Pro – Head of Community

press@muslimpro.com

It’s still too soon to know what is going on and what the consequences for having your information sold will have on your privacy. As you can see from their response, they deny the allegation and are looking into the matter. And while we wait for the final statement from all parties involved, we may just want to map out our calendars with times for prayer weeks in advance.