Are apps getting too intrusive? - app permissions discussion.

[power]

I just saw an update for the FB app come up on my tablet and noticed that the permissions had changed.

They've added Phone Calls.

The description reads this

Allows the application to access the phone features of the device. An application with this permission can determine the phone number and serial number of this phone, whether a call is active, the number that the call is connected to and the like.

Now I feel it is an alarming trend in apps requesting more than they have any right to.

One app that I stopped updating was Tiki Kart 3D.

It added Read Contact Data. Supposedly if you update it it will spam you with ads pretending to be your friends.

Description for this permission reads.

Allows and application to read all of the contact (address) data stored on your tablet. Malicious applications can use this to send your data to other people.

I simply did not update the app, many reports on the market indicate it uses this to spam you.

Tell us what you think OCAU!

[bb7_rider]

This is getting worse and worse especially in regards to push notifications while the app isn't even in use. For some reason a lot of free live wallpapers seem to be particularly bad for this, spamming you with notifications when you're not even using that wallpaper, with no way to turn them off, and I've also heard of a lot of them bringing up ads as fake SMS' too.

[clonex]

What the hell would they need my phone number for or who im ringing.

Maybe You may know these people will start popping up eventually based on phone numbers

What i find annoying is that there is no way of deciding what you wish to allow and dont want

[dualmassager]

Originally Posted by clonex

What the hell would they need my phone number for or who im ringing.

Maybe You may know these people will start popping up eventually based on phone numbers

What i find annoying is that there is no way of deciding what you wish to allow and dont want

I think I once had a custom ROM that could (although I doubt it). But if you use MIUI, you can block apps from going online through the firewall. So if you have some apps that shouldn't even need any internet connection, you can just block it from accessing the net. No real reason why some apps even need to go online at all.

[Dass Booty]

I had one app that would place a widget on my home screen and change my browser home page each time it ran. The day it happened I removed all dodgy apps, leaving comments explaining why I would no longer use them.

I don't mind the ad supported apps, so long as they only show ads while I'm running it. Right now I have five apps that I won't update because of added invasive permissions.

Do not want.

[SaTaN]

The android permissions model is completely broken. Nothing more to say really. (Better than the free for all that ios provides though)...

" An application with this permission can determine the phone number and serial number of this phone, whether a call is active, the number that the call is connected to and the like." the reason most applications want that permission is to get the phones imei so they can uniqly identify you. Android is stupid because that really shouldn't be in the same permission group can "make a call"!

What you can do (if you care is root your phone and get the various apps which can disable permissions on each app. Some will crash if you block ones it needs, but alot will work fine with some of the spam permissions blocked. (cyanogenmod provides this without extra apps)

[breno]

Originally Posted by SaTaN

get the various apps which can disable permissions on each app.

Care to name a few?

[SaTaN]

Originally Posted by breno

Care to name a few?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...bWlzc2lvbnMiXQ..

[SilentLeges]

Originally Posted by SaTaN

The android permissions model is completely broken. Nothing more to say really. (Better than the free for all that ios provides though)...

" An application with this permission can determine the phone number and serial number of this phone, whether a call is active, the number that the call is connected to and the like." the reason most applications want that permission is to get the phones imei so they can uniqly identify you. Android is stupid because that really shouldn't be in the same permission group can "make a call"!

What you can do (if you care is root your phone and get the various apps which can disable permissions on each app. Some will crash if you block ones it needs, but alot will work fine with some of the spam permissions blocked. (cyanogenmod provides this without extra apps)

Wish i had root permissions, things would defiantly change

[MR CHILLED]

I think it's a big issue now and only going to get much much larger. Definitely a concern. Interesting to note that when google collects wifi data the world kicks up a massive storm, yet this goes relatively unnoticed, and it's possibly far more invasive.

[Samuka]

I got an my first smartphone about 2 weeks ago. An S3. The first thing I noticed how invasive some of the permissions are and what type of information can be passed to these companies.

When the permissions given to these apps has nothing to do with the running of the app you have to wonder what are they needing this access for.

An example of two apps I found that want so much but do very little are the torch apps.

Tiny Flashlight + LED.

Permissions needed:
Take pictures and videos
Full Internet access
Read phone state and identity
Prevent tablet from sleeping prevent phone from sleeping

Brightest Flashlight Free.

Permissions needed:
Take pictures and videos
Coarse (network-based) location
Fine (GPS) location
Full Internet access
Read phone state and identity
Modify/delete USB storage contents modify/delete SD card contents
Prevent tablet from sleeping prevent phone from sleeping
Control flashlight
View network state
View Wi-Fi state
Disable or modify status bar

Why the hell do these apps that only need all these permissions needed for the app that just makes the screen a torch by turning it all white?

If a program was requesting this much access and was on a PC it would be classed as spyware/adware and would be bagged by everybody and most likely fail but as this is on a smartphone it seems that its ok. Go figure.

I have already rooted the phone and put on a firewall apps to block most apps that are too invasive. I have even found a few that refuse to work without access. I just removed them.

The android smartphone just seems to be an advertising machine for Google and other companies along with data mining of personal details. I know know how invasive the permissions given on an iPhone or win7 mobile is. maybe someone can comment.

Yes the developers need to get paid for their app and they get this by providing free apps with advertising but do they need access and control to all this personal information?

[SaTaN]

see my earlier reply..

pretty much:

Tiny Flashlight + LED.

Permissions needed:
Take pictures and videos <- only way to access the cameras LED
Full Internet access <- Ads
Read phone state and identity <- unique ID for Ads
Prevent tablet from sleeping prevent phone from sleeping <- if it sleeps the LED will turn off, so useful

if you care root and get the permission blocker programs.

[Samuka]

Originally Posted by SaTaN

see my earlier reply..

pretty much:

Tiny Flashlight + LED.

Permissions needed:
Take pictures and videos <- only way to access the cameras LED
Full Internet access <- Ads
Read phone state and identity <- unique ID for Ads
Prevent tablet from sleeping prevent phone from sleeping <- if it sleeps the LED will turn off, so useful

if you care root and get the permission blocker programs.

Ok you might have a point in the tiny flashlight one but the second one is a different story of course.
Edit: "Read phone state and identity." It does not really need this one and could do without. Does it need to see your phone number and serials number?

Yeah I read you other comment....I would agree the permissions model is broken. Will they fix it? i doubt it.

[elvis]

Funny how people are only getting up in arms about this now. This has been happening for years on the desktop. Nobody reads the EULAs though, and just click through them.

[MR CHILLED]

Originally Posted by SaTaN

see my earlier reply..

pretty much:

Tiny Flashlight + LED.

Permissions needed:
Take pictures and videos <- only way to access the cameras LED
Full Internet access <- Ads
Read phone state and identity <- unique ID for Ads
Prevent tablet from sleeping prevent phone from sleeping <- if it sleeps the LED will turn off, so useful

For what reason would it require gps location?