Google Smart Phone Apps Take Control of YOUR Data and Phone!

Has anyone else noticed that when an Applications is downloaded or is required to be updated from Google Apps you will get a notice asking you to give permission for the following types of intrusion into your privacy by the application?

Storage
Modify/Delete SD card contents

Hardware Controls
Record Audio - allows application to access the audio record path

Your personal information
Allows an application to read all of the contacts data stored on your phone.. as well as modify

Phone Calls
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 call is connected to and the like.

Network Communication
Allows an application to communicate with near field communication (rfid?) (NFC) tags, cards and readers.

Your accounts
Allows an application to get the list of accounts known by the phone.

And there are more..

This is scary stuff.. are the applications taking our data on the phone and forwarding it to Google to create a profile on everybody? Or am I being paranoid. I had a Foxtel Mobile update which included giving such permission, what the hell does it need all these powers over my data for!?
Im ready to throw it in the garbage now..

my phone is as dumb as a rock. it can only make and receive calls and take pictures.

the real conspiracy is the push by service providers to sign up for a smart phone by offering only smart phones or a very tiny selection of normal phones that look like they'll break in 3 months.

pretty soon, i'd say 3-5 years, you won't even be able to get a phone that is not a gps tracked smart phone.

I wouldn't doubt that they do indeed invade your privacy,

however, these are tools to allow an app to work.

Say for example an app wants access to your camera,

more than likely, it is a camera app or a barcode reader..

reply to post by PrecogPsychicSensitive

I deliberately have no mobile phone but this might be the answer. Alternative firmware/OS for your phone
www.cyanogenmod.com...
I believe the "Google Experience" has been removed but didn't look too much into it.

reply to post by PrecogPsychicSensitive


Just say NO to it and then you don't have to worry about it.

Would you rather that they don't ask you and you find out via secretnews.com and then have your paranoia meter hit the roof?

Anyone can write a google app. It's up to YOU to decide if you will allow them to access the details in your phone, and has nothing to do with google.

and I hate google... lol

I have an old rock phone like that in retirement in a cupboard.. and I might just start using it again after this.

I understand some apps may require the use of certain hardware in the phone.. but some of the permissions it asks for are clearly unrelated to the application in question.. and one of the updates is a Google App.

Originally posted by LightSpeedDriver
reply to post by PrecogPsychicSensitive

 

I deliberately have no mobile phone but this might be the answer. Alternative firmware/OS for your phone
www.cyanogenmod.com...
I believe the "Google Experience" has been removed but didn't look too much into it.

Thanks.. I'll look into it.

I'm assuming you're just now jumping on the bandwagon of smartphones??

Like either you just upgraded from a Blackberry Pearl or a Motorola V3 RAZR.....


Sorry, but two things:

First off, your posting in the wrong section - This should be in the Science & Technology section.

And secondly, this topic has been covered literally on ALL fronts of media. Whether it be on local TV news stations, your local paper, someone posting a link on your Facebook or MySpace to a TechBlog of sorts, or perhaps just a simple google search of that same topic.... They would all turn up several THOUSAND articles and inquiries of that exact topic.

It's been very well covered, and is simply a means of better providing the end-user (you/consumer) with a rich smartphone experience. And these 'permissions' are just that, asking you for your legal consent to use the said info of your device to bring forth an intuitive and seamless experience.

Have you ever installed a program on your computer/laptop? Ever read the 'User Agreement' or do you just click the 'yes, I have read....' and hit 'okay install now'? Yeah, well a majority of that can be applied in some sense to the Android inquiry, you raise.


Only if you knew the amount of information that's out there being collected on a daily basis, on just YOU alone, when you travel the world wide web from your computer... These Android 'permissions' are just putting it to you the same way, but in more simple, plain-english terms for the everyday layperson. That's all.

Welcome to the future. Skynet will become self-aware soon.

reply to post by PrecogPsychicSensitive


Well, it will still give you access to the google market, and you're right back where you left off. Installing an APK either written by a google employee or the millions of people writing them as developers for their own software, et al..

You know you can even get a /b/ 4chan app? I wonder who wrote that...

Originally posted by PrecogPsychicSensitive
I have an old rock phone like that in retirement in a cupboard.. and I might just start using it again after this.

Or do what I do, get a prepaid one for $15 and charge it up with $20 worth calls.

pretty much a throwaway phone unless you're asked to provide details each time you get one, which sadly we are now. no more than 5 phones per ID I think... meh, but I don't even need it, except for an emergency.

Oh and no, Cyanogenmod does not remove the 'Google Experience' or interface... It's simply a more customizable 'skin' that is layered on top of the Android OS that came on your phone from the factory... Think of it as a 'Pimp My Ride' for your Android phone, minus the ghetto spinners and fuzzy upholstery. It just offers more customization of your device, but if you don't know what you're doing (or in your case presumably, aren't too familiar with the Android platform), you'll end up doing more harm, than good.

Originally posted by weavty1
I'm assuming you're just now jumping on the bandwagon of smartphones??

Like either you just upgraded from a Blackberry Pearl or a Motorola V3 RAZR.....


Sorry, but two things:

First off, your posting in the wrong section - This should be in the Science & Technology section.

And secondly, this topic has been covered literally on ALL fronts of media. Whether it be on local TV news stations, your local paper, someone posting a link on your Facebook or MySpace to a TechBlog of sorts, or perhaps just a simple google search of that same topic.... They would all turn up several THOUSAND articles and inquiries of that exact topic.

It's been very well covered, and is simply a means of better providing the end-user (you/consumer) with a rich smartphone experience. And these 'permissions' are just that, asking you for your legal consent to use the said info of your device to bring forth an intuitive and seamless experience.

Have you ever installed a program on your computer/laptop? Ever read the 'User Agreement' or do you just click the 'yes, I have read....' and hit 'okay install now'? Yeah, well a majority of that can be applied in some sense to the Android inquiry, you raise.


Only if you knew the amount of information that's out there being collected on a daily basis, on just YOU alone, when you travel the world wide web from your computer... These Android 'permissions' are just putting it to you the same way, but in more simple, plain-english terms for the everyday layperson. That's all.

Welcome to the future. Skynet will become self-aware soon.

Team America World Police, 9/11 x 1000 and all that.. hahaha love it,...

Second smart phone.. the first was windows based.. this is new to me yes.. sorry..
My apologies.. delete the thread if its been done a million times.. I do read those agreements, but the stuff on my phone should stay private. yeah I know... what was I thinking.. bring on skynet, Im ready for some action.

reply to post by PrecogPsychicSensitive


No no man, wasn't trying to rag on you or anything! Just trying to put things into simpler terminology/analogies for you! Lol, for Christmas I just bought my mother and father each, an ASUS Transformer Prime tablet (runs Android as well), and I had to 'better explain' things to both of them, as well about all of this... My dad, who's an avid Windows fan (as am I, but also a secretive Apple fanboy), was asking the same questions, and I tell ya.. Some of the things he comes to be about, I just wanna pull my hair out.. Hahaha!

No worries mate, and welcome to the Matrix.. Err, Android!

As someone pointed out in this thread, the permissions are needed to enable the app to work. You can install a custom ROM with cyagenmod installed and this will let you edit these permissions but by doing so will probablt stop the app from working.

I have a rooted handset with a custom ROM with cyagenmod 7.0 and I have pretty much FULL control over the handset.. but there are some settings you really do not want to be playing with.

Anyway, the only way I can see Google collecting your data after doing what I have done is through the market somehow but I highly doubt that. If you are still not liking the thought of using Google Market then use applanet.net or panda app - Then you are Google free.

Originally posted by fatpastyhead
As someone pointed out in this thread, the permissions are needed to enable the app to work. You can install a custom ROM with cyagenmod installed and this will let you edit these permissions but by doing so will probablt stop the app from working.

I have a rooted handset with a custom ROM with cyagenmod 7.0 and I have pretty much FULL control over the handset.. but there are some settings you really do not want to be playing with.

Anyway, the only way I can see Google collecting your data after doing what I have done is through the market somehow but I highly doubt that. If you are still not liking the thought of using Google Market then use applanet.net or panda app - Then you are Google free.

Why would google maps need to take control of my phone contacts? I do understand it needs control of some hardware.. but why would google maps need to access my contacts/address book? It doesnt. There just seems to be too much given away when I give permission.. I dunno..

reply to post by weavty1


Indeed, bricked a tablet using the wrong mod once, from Cyanogenmod. It was a cheap one from china and there was no option to revive it. would not even power on.

Ahh the days of not knowing much about it and ruining a perfectly good device

reply to post by PrecogPsychicSensitive


The more reasonable explanation is this:


Storage
Modify/Delete SD card contents - BECAUSE APPS NEED TO STORE INFO IN THE MEMORY

Hardware Controls
Record Audio - allows application to access the audio record path - I HAVEN'T SEEN THIS - MUST BE APP SPECIFIC TO SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES VOICE

Your personal information
Allows an application to read all of the contacts data stored on your phone.. as well as modify - SOCIAL MEDIA - LINKS YOUR PHONE CONTACTS TO YOUR ACCOUNT CONTACTS

Phone Calls
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 call is connected to and the like. - BECAUSE APPS NEED TO STOP TO ALLOW INCOMING CALLS

Network Communication
Allows an application to communicate with near field communication (rfid?) (NFC) tags, cards and readers. - NETWORK COMMUNICATION GIVES APPS YOUR LOCATION AND USES 3G/GPRS ETC TO SEND/RECEIVE DATA

Your accounts
Allows an application to get the list of accounts known by the phone.BECAUSE ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS PEOPLE BUY SMART PHONES ARE SO THEY CAN HAVE ALL THEIR ACCOUNTS IN ONE PLACE.


Sorry but although there is potential and peoples phones can be tracked, there is no reason whatsoever or the massive amount of resources needed for every smartphone to be abused in this way. Paranoia is not healthy!

Originally posted by PrecogPsychicSensitive

Originally posted by fatpastyhead
As someone pointed out in this thread, the permissions are needed to enable the app to work. You can install a custom ROM with cyagenmod installed and this will let you edit these permissions but by doing so will probablt stop the app from working.

I have a rooted handset with a custom ROM with cyagenmod 7.0 and I have pretty much FULL control over the handset.. but there are some settings you really do not want to be playing with.

Anyway, the only way I can see Google collecting your data after doing what I have done is through the market somehow but I highly doubt that. If you are still not liking the thought of using Google Market then use applanet.net or panda app - Then you are Google free.

Why would google maps need to take control of my phone contacts? I do understand it needs control of some hardware.. but why would google maps need to access my contacts/address book? It doesnt. There just seems to be too much given away when I give permission.. I dunno..

Probably to with the location part of the app. Location of friends can be set If I remember rightly.

Why don't you visit their site and view the privacy terms for this app? If not then you have a few options.

- Change the ROM for a 1 that s more lightweight and comes with less apps such as Google maps.

- Do not connect to the market and use other app markets such as app planet or down the apps to your PC then over to your phone

- Get a phone that is not a smart phone.

- Get a ROM with cyangenmod and then you can control the permissions. The app will probably stop working though.. and anything connected to it.

Originally posted by weavty1
Oh and no, Cyanogenmod does not remove the 'Google Experience' or interface... It's simply a more customizable 'skin' that is layered on top of the Android OS that came on your phone from the factory... Think of it as a 'Pimp My Ride' for your Android phone, minus the ghetto spinners and fuzzy upholstery. It just offers more customization of your device, but if you don't know what you're doing (or in your case presumably, aren't too familiar with the Android platform), you'll end up doing more harm, than good.

I would kinda disagree with you there. Cyanogenmod just lets you customize the handset a hell of a lot more. It is the launcher on your handset that gives it that 'pimp my skin' kind of thing(that rhymed).

It is the launcher that allows the homescreen, app draw and theme looks. Cyangenmod allows overscrolling tweaks and other such things.