Apps requesting too much permission

[anon(9691750)]

No app should ever require all permissions to function. None.

 

[km04]

This is always something I've never cared about... Why do you even care?

Because I do. If you don't, good for you.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Paranoia at its best... You think an app dev would open itself up to a class action law suit? Have you ever heard of anyone being taken advantage of by an app?

I'm not inclined to agree that it's paranoia. An app developer from another country may not be held to litigation from another one.

To illustrate a different point....let's take a flashlight app. And let's say that flashlight app has permission to the camera, phone identity, web access, contacts, read and modify USB storage, and keep device from sleeping. Don't these sound excessive?

 

[anon(5719825)]

Paranoia at its best... You think an app dev would open itself up to a class action law suit? Have you ever heard of anyone being taken advantage of by an app?

Plenty of app developers have tried in the past. Just do a Google search.

 

[Aquila]

Doesn't the vital signs permission cover fingerprints?

Yes

 

[Aquila]

I thought you could pick and choose what permissions you want an app to have.

Yes you can on all devices nougat or higher.

 

[Aquila]

I'm not inclined to agree that it's paranoia. An app developer from another country may not be held to litigation from another one.

To illustrate a different point....let's take a flashlight app. And let's say that flashlight app has permission to the camera, phone identity, web access, contacts, read and modify USB storage, and keep device from sleeping. Don't these sound excessive?

Camera is the only one that makes sense other than web access, which is to serve ads.

 

[Aquila]

Better question is... Does Samsung explain exactly how they're using each one?

 

[srvctec]

Yes you can on all devices nougat or higher.

Actually, the permissions choice started with Marshmallow because I've been taking advantage of that on my Note 4 since it got MM.

 

[jhimmel]

The pen up permissions for Contacts is so you can share the picture you colored. If you don't think you'll be sharing any pictures I would think you can deny that one after it's installed (via application permissions).

If you deny access to contacts, the app refuses to run. I could easily share saved pictures without the app having access to my contacts.

 

[jhimmel]

Paranoia at its best... You think an app dev would open itself up to a class action law suit? Have you ever heard of anyone being taken advantage of by an app?

Ignorance at its best. If course it has happened, and I experienced it personally. That's why I am more cautious now.

 

[TechnologyTwitt]

Yes you can on all devices nougat or higher.

You can, but from what I'm seeing so far, the app won't function unless you re-authorize the permission.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Camera is the only one that makes sense other than web access, which is to serve ads.

I added phone identity so that the app gets overridden by an incoming phone call. I think that is a mandatory permission?

 

[Aquila]

I added phone identity so that the app gets overridden by an incoming phone call. I think that is a mandatory permission?

Yep, sorry that one makes sense too.

 

[Brew Swayne]

Better question is... Does Samsung explain exactly how they're using each one?

Sammy would really only be "responsible" for explaining the needs of various permissions for actual Samsung developed apps.

Sammy has no authority over any app in the Play Store so it's up to each dev to accurately describe the reasons for each permission an app requests, and while I've seen a few apps explain rather clearly why they require certain permissions, those are definitely far, few, and in between.

What would be nice is if Google made that a requirement for devs to get their apps into the Play Store in the first place.

 

[Aquila]

Sammy would really only be "responsible" for explaining the needs of various permissions for actual Samsung developed apps.

Sammy has no authority over any app in the Play Store so it's up to each dev to accurately describe the reasons for each permission an app requests, and while I've seen a few apps explain rather clearly why they require certain permissions, those are definitely far, few, and in between.

What would be nice is if Google made that a requirement for devs to get their apps into the Play Store in the first place.

Oh I thought we were talking about Samsung apps.

 

[Brew Swayne]

Oh I thought we were talking about Samsung apps.

Haha...The OP was questioning a couple of Sammy apps but I think the conversation kind of morphed into more of a general question about permissions.

 

[km04]

Haha...The OP was questioning a couple of Sammy apps but I think the conversation kind of morphed into more of a general question about permissions.

Correct!

 

[b.grdner]

If you deny access to contacts, the app refuses to run. I could easily share saved pictures without the app having access to my contacts.

True

 

[tmo1973]

For Samsung Pay, I can understand the body sensors permission. Many permissions are lumped together, and fingerprints and body sensors are probably lumped together. SMS, Contacts, Storage and Camera.....I don't understand why those are required.

These I can see. The camera is used to upload card information, storage to store card information, SMS to send you a message after transaction. Contacts I don't know about. However, when adding a coloring app like PenUp, why would it need all those same things and more? Some make sense, but others are just scarey.