Android rant: too much access to apps

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Batman

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#137949 13-Dec-2013 23:53

Does anyone ever wonder when you download an app -

Why the heck do they want to see my contacts or read my data etc ...

On iOS you get to tell the app you ain't letting them use you gps or camera or contact etc

Why don't Mr android do the same?

In fact I don't even want Google to log my location every so often...Why does he want to know these things! (Yes I can turn it off but then maps won't work ... I see Google as being Mr nosy and that has got nothing to do with maps!

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#951989 14-Dec-2013 00:45

I tend to agree. More granular control with per-app permissions would be nice.
Perhaps if you stumble upon some functionality of a particular app that is broken because you turned off X feature it could give you the option of turning it on, on an as-needed basis.

http://gizmodo.com/the-awesome-privacy-tools-in-android-4-3-1481775527

This was an interesting article that touched on some changes that have happened within 4.3+ which might suggest a shift toward such changes; although, at this point, the article only offered a somewhat manual way of controlling these permissions. Still, could be a sign of good things to come.

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#952000 14-Dec-2013 02:30

Yaaaay! Someone disabled the ability to quote the OP. It is possible to do it manually, you know. I was going to quote the relevent portion but if mods wanna be stupid then so will I. :)

FYI, no other forum I can think of disables the ability to quote OP.

joker97: Does anyone ever wonder when you download an app -

Why the heck do they want to see my contacts or read my data etc ...

On iOS you get to tell the app you ain't letting them use you gps or camera or contact etc

Why don't Mr android do the same?

In fact I don't even want Google to log my location every so often...Why does he want to know these things! (Yes I can turn it off but then maps won't work ... I see Google as being Mr nosy and that has got nothing to do with maps!

I'm assuming you want to use the features Google Maps offers like directions, information on what is nearby, etc... Or may want to use one of those features at one point in the future. That is why they ask you for the permissions.

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#952003 14-Dec-2013 02:53

Bugger, I spoke too soon.

Google "accidentally" had these features in 4.3 for testing purposes... apparently they have been removed in 4.4.2.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/12/google-removes-vital-privacy-features-android-shortly-after-adding-them

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#952022 14-Dec-2013 08:10

I have given 1080p a warning via PM and explained why we hide the quote button in the first page. Threads with more than one page have the quote button.

Later today his account will be suspended. The suspension will be for a week.

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#952061 14-Dec-2013 09:50

I haven't understood this either, I understand not allowing the second poster to quote, since it's obvious what you would be referring to, but I don't understand why you wouldn't allow it from the third post onward as you might be quoting or referring to comments made in either the first or second post. Happy to move this to another thread if it's not appropriate to be discussed here.

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#952072 14-Dec-2013 10:02

It's ok. I've made my rant. There are no android creators here. Nothing will be fixed from here. But this is what's limiting my android experience.

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#952083 14-Dec-2013 10:34

I've stopped updating some apps as I've been finding updates which add no extra functionality, only more invasive access to my phone records, messages and contacts.

Someone needs to reign these developers in

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#952085 14-Dec-2013 10:38

This is one of the reasons I am looking at moving away from Android

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

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#952089 14-Dec-2013 10:41

why does he want to know these things?

You are the product!

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#952093 14-Dec-2013 10:46

maybe if iphone 6 has a 5" screen and swype and poweramp that's what currently hooking me on android. of course my needs might be different in the future :D

edited swipe -> swipe (autocorrect) -> swype

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#952096 14-Dec-2013 10:58

Well acording to this article App Ops is still alive in android 4.4 afterall just need to install this app. Note I haven't tried this myself.

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#952114 14-Dec-2013 11:13

RIP 1080P

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#952116 14-Dec-2013 11:19

rphenix: Well acording to this article App Ops is still alive in android 4.4 afterall just need to install this app. Note I haven't tried this myself.

Hmm interesting ... Is app ops part of android or is it an app?

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#952117 14-Dec-2013 11:21

macuser: RIP 1080P

That's what you get for being a good contributor to this forum. Guess he won't be subscribing in future.

rphenix: Well acording to this article App Ops is still alive in android 4.4 afterall just need to install this app. Note I haven't tried this myself.

Interesting, seems to be legit, although none of my devices can take 4.4 so I'm out of luck with that app.

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#952118 14-Dec-2013 11:22

insane:
macuser: RIP 1080P

That's what you get for being a good contributor to this forum. Guess he won't be subscribing in future.

I don't think it was his contribution that caused the issue, but rather the tone and method he used to deliver it.

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