Posting @rmaulsby ’s DM may not directly contribute to solving your problem but he’s an interesting and informed guy and I think it will enrich the thread.
Earnest question. Maybe you know this. What are the odds that the average app installed on your device but entirely inactive - haven’t used it in months - is still harvesting/transmitting data in the background on a regular basis? The practical advice proceeding from this (if your answer is high likelihood) would be: Uninstall all apps you don’t intend to use at least weekly/monthly.
I know for sure apps do this. I have many apps installed that I know do this and leave them installed because that is how they survive. If I don’t like their service then I uninstall and won’t use the app.
Basically if you don’t need to pay for the app, especially some recurring fee, they need to make money somehow.
Giving up information in exchange for products/services is a valid form of barter. Just make sure you’re aware and ok with how your data is used. It’s a reality of today’s world, and our responsibility is to make sure we give data to reputable companies, and weed out any bad actors.