Majority of U.S. teens have privacy concerns with mobile apps

Who knew teens were so concerned about their privacy? According to a Pew Research Center study released Thursday, of the 58 percent of U.S. teens aged 12 to 17 who have downloaded apps to their cell phone or tablet computer, 51 percent have avoided certain apps due to privacy concerns, and 26 percent have uninstalled an app because they found out it was collecting personal information that they didn't wish to share.

Girls, perhaps unsurprisingly, were more savvy about turning off tracking features in apps. Fifty-nine percent of girls switched off a location tracking feature, compared with 37 percent of boys.

However, among cell phone and tablet owners, boys are the more active downloaders; 79 percent of boys download apps versus 62 percent of girls.

Household income played a role in mobile device usage, with teens in wealthier households more likely to download: 79 percent of teens living in households earning $50,000 or more downloaded apps compared with 60 percent of those living in households earning less than $50,000.