Why do some Apps Demand so many Permissions?!!!

[degrey1]

"Most of the apps are safe and require the permissions to function properly" Oh such innocence and naivity. That's how malware gets around, and how spyware becomes accepted as mainstream.
If we all stopped downloading the apps that demand but don't require permissions, then they wouldn't be so popular would they?

 

[return_0]

"Most of the apps are safe and require the permissions to function properly" Oh such innocence and naivity. That's how malware gets around, and how spyware becomes accepted as mainstream.
If we all stopped downloading the apps that demand but don't require permissions, then they wouldn't be so popular would they?

And the people with the malware would post good reviews?

Can we stop with this malware bulls***?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[jay64]

I wholeheartedly agree - It is the main reason I am returning my S III to AT&T. The amount of folks who post "oh what the heck, don't worry about it " or "your paranoid" miss the point. Privacy should be enabled by default, not left to deft OS manipulation beyond the scope of most users or having to root a device. I have seen way too many android apps on the play store + amazon that seem to want to put a stethoscope someplace you won't like it and if you don't agree - well screw you. That is not choice, that is exploitation. They do it because it may be cheaper to tack an open source front end install that demands full access by default then take the time to actually code in the privileges actually needed. Saying it's a background task does not change a thing. Andoid promises flexibility but that is an illusion when it comes to user control and privacy. I know many young folks no longer have any expectation of privacy and see that as normal. I think it is sad.

 

[Douglas Szymanik]

so why doe free apps need to access personal, imfo, and be able to delete things on my tablet, and phone records and modify storage ,are not on tablets , access my contactshow is this secure,just to play a game

 

[SaltyYoda7]

I guess this is why some people are so easily taken advantage of. There is an old expression; ?re you Paranoid if someone or some entity really is after you? Heard of the NSA? They monitor everyone's emails & send DEA/cops to accidentally bust you based upon illegally obtained information.
These days being Paranoid equals being awake & informed.
Main point. Please tell ME why a spellcheck App needs permission to access my phone calls? THIS is the type of over-reaching that people mean when they ask these questions. People that ridicule them are just either revealing the depth of THEIR stupidity OR actually know that Google was started with NSA connections from its very inception & are benefitting financially by acting as gate-keepers for these spy entities.
The creators of the web jokingly called it the World Wide Wiretap (WWW). Recent revelations in the press confirm our fears & also prove that these groups are even more dangerous than we originally thought.

 

[DrDeranged]

AVG free now requires access to my video camera and microphone. It did not before. So I looked into it. Guess what? It does use the cam. It does take pictures. Format your phone and wonder why all text messages, pictures, phone log, address book, ect. came back? They upload all personal info to the cloud the second you signed into Google play! The second you register your phone you pretty much have a log of everything you do kept online. (So you can recover it). That's why you sign in to Google. Google apps are a lot like Facebook. If they are giving you free apps, guess what? YOU are the product. Google/Facebook/twitter. This is common news, they are super rich because they openly record anything you do on their server. Call and ask they will tell you. Don't worry though. Even though they collect all the information, and sell it to anyone with $. They have a policy, don't be evil. That's how they self regulate their data mining practices, with a slogan don't be evil. I have done some looking through my cashe, micro sd, and auto cloud storage. Apple is pretty good about not allowing so many apps that are flat out viruses. AT&T is just flat out horrible with the bundled software. I disabled as much as I could but still have some battery drainers that I cannot get rid of. And then they try to update all the time (programs I did not want). I have a quad core and it is amazing how much is going in the background when you think you are just calling someone. Oh well, in my town they have video cameras mounted to the corner of every street and intersection. Guess I should just get used to privacy being a thing of the past.

I love Android OS, just don't fool yourself into thinking you have privacy with anything from Google. They are a data mining company by definition. Yes they do and will collect and sell your data.


Sorry, ranting. Take care.

 

[scooby free]

It seems you pay with your personal data or with cash - The choice is yours. If you only want apps with minimal permissions there are lots of branded apps that have a 'least permission' approach and promise not to nick your data. The latest one I have seen is StringFree which charge the minimum possible for a paid app via Play.

 

[knowitall1990]

cuzz obama passed a bill that everything that uses internet is now legal to watch "for terorism" and your phone uses internet so they wana make sure they can get into your mic and camra without letting you know and keep track of what you say and what you do, and were you go, and get into your phone calls and find out who you talk to what you talk about. why els would it say it can get into your micraphone without letting you know and without your permission. i just thought it was weird that it all started asking for more acses to your phone right after the bill was passed, and when it says that it will be able to acces your acounts, that doesnt only mean you gmail or yahoo, if you have a banking app on your phone they can get into it whenever they want to...lol

 

[marianojb]

CNN app (official by CNN) from Google Play asks permission to "take pictures and videos". The description says: "Allows the application to take pictures and videos with the camera. This permission allows the app to use the camera at anytime WITHOUT YOUR CONFIRMATION".
What is hidden behind that bizarre requirement?.

 

[Zachary Mims]

You must understand that even though you bought your phone and pay the monthly charge, you don't own the technology and software that operate it. You are only leasing those. And just like a landlord can come into your apartment when you're not there, remove your dishwasher and tell you that you must hand wash everything from now on, so can a service provider or phone manufacturer or browser creator or anyone else who's software you are using, say what features that software contains and what it can access from the data it stores for you. This is not limited to your cell phone, in fact you own more of your cell than you do your computer. They don't even ask your permission for that. What it comes down to is, as much as you think you own, you really nothing, as someone can legally come and take it all away from you. This is the world we live in, and we are as we have always been, slaves.

 

[David Hawk]

Sorry but why would a news app want the ability to read my account, modify it without telling me, and set up its own accounts with its own passwords that i cant get in to.

Apps are not all generally safe - these are backdoor controls to allow some 3rd part to monitor and control what you are doing on your phone. If you want to stick your head in the sand about it, then don't be surprised when you get jacked in the ****!

 

[molsen1]

this does not answer the question of why some apps like FB want to be able to delete your SD card, delete or add contact info, turn on your camera and microphone etc...