Is your phone a treasure trove of forgotten apps? If so, you might be risking your security big time, say cybersecurity experts.

The average American juggles about 80 apps on their phones, but many of these are gathering digital dust. Deleting these unnecessary apps could be the first step to safeguarding your personal information.

As George Kamide, co-host of the "Bare Knuckles and Brass Tacks" cybersecurity podcast, points out, many apps come with expansive permissions that most users never read. They might track your location or even refresh data in the background, putting your privacy at risk.

"People trust that app creators prioritize their privacy, but that’s a dangerous assumption," warns Adam Arellano, a Chief Technology Officer at Harness. "When apps are developed hastily, security often takes a backseat, leaving your data vulnerable to exploitation."

Consider the recent Tea app debacle: a dating app that promised to enhance safety but ended up exposing 13,000 selfies and IDs of its users during a data breach. Such incidents highlight the ever-present danger of overlooked apps.

In the last year alone, over 1.3 billion people were notified that their data had been compromised. A significant portion of these breaches could have been averted through mindful management of app usage.

Want to reduce your vulnerability? Start by routinely purging those unused apps. This simple act limits what app creators can learn about you, and curbs unwanted data access from criminals and authorities.

"I make it a habit to clean up my apps every few months," Arellano shares. "Whenever I find myself bored or on a long flight, I evaluate which apps I actively use and which are just taking up space. Delete them!"

Kamide emphasizes that apps used for limited timeframes, like sports updates, don’t need to linger on your phone post-season.

However, deleting apps won't erase past data collected. "It stops future data collection, but anything already gathered stays, even after deletion," Arellano clarifies.

And when it comes to location-based apps like Google Maps, deleting them can even extend your phone's battery life.

Traveling soon? Regular app deletion is especially vital when crossing U.S. borders. The government has broad rights to search electronic devices, and some travelers have faced entry denial due to seemingly harmless social media apps.

Petra Molnar, a lawyer specializing in privacy, advises, "At the border, privacy protections vanish. Minimize risk by deleting or limiting access to apps containing sensitive data, like messaging and social media. These host invaluable private information."

For those planning sensitive travels, carrying a 'clean phone' with only essential apps is a smart move. Molnar suggests keeping just encrypted messaging apps, like Signal.

Sure, deleting apps only takes a few minutes, but it can have a significant impact on your privacy. Our phones are more than just tools for entertainment; they hold crucial data about us.

In Kamide's words, “Don't willingly opt into the surveillance economy.” Taking a few moments to delete unnecessary apps not only protects you but also empowers you to reclaim your digital privacy. So, the next time you have a minute, dive into your apps and start deleting your way to better security!