App permissions

[Icehaven]

I'm sure there was an app thread already but it's probably out of date now anyway. I got an internet capable (or 'smart') phone a couple of days ago, and have been browsing through various free apps, just general things  dictionaries, chat apps, a few games etc., and I was surprised to see how many of the free ones required permissions which seemed to include ''monitoring phone calls'' and ''modifying contact data.'' I know free ones are going to want to me to allow them to send me spam and so on, but these particular ones seemed alarmingly, and brazenly, intrusive. Are they really what they sound like and they're just relying on people not even bothering to read what they're permitting (even though it isn't exactly hidden), or are they more benign than they appear? (I'm guessing the former...)

[syntaxerror]

a lot of free apps will rinse your battery and data.

[Bored of Canada]

It's alarming when you see it at first but if you just stick to hugely used app, like Instagram or Angry Birds, I'd have to assume they're not using those permissions to steal your credit card details or masturbate over your conversations, as there'd be a major scandal for such a high-profile business and they'd be gone within the week. Though maybe I'm naive. The smaller apps with misspelled descriptions and really terrible looking photo screenshots that look a bit dodgy rush-job can be a little more insidious.

The most app allowances I've ever seen were for a breast touching app near the top of the Google Play store. About 25 of 'em that allowed it full access to every aspect of my phone. All I could gather was that you tap the screen on photos of breasts to experience the full pleasure of such an act. Don't see why it required full access to my email and phone contacts...

Really, it's just like the internet itself. Try and be a bit vigilant and cautious with everything, and if you're that worried about it, just don't bother with apps and use it purely as a phone...Like some kind of goddamn savage.

[Milo]

Cyanogenmod custom Rom has just added a privacy guard that you can enable for apps that means it will just receive blank data when it requests anything from the phone, as if you didn't have contacts etc.

[Bored of Canada]

First you need to download the app data-scrambler and allow it to access the features of your phone, making it safe to download the privacy guard and allow it app permissions and be safe from data-leaks. Only then will it be safe to download the app you want and allow it to access your phone's features...If you get any insidious problems after that, stick the whole phone in a steaming glugpot of Ceylon tea to stew for fifteen minutes and soak out the malware.

Then your phone'll be 87% safe.

[Icehaven]

Hmm, interesting. So I wasn't being pessimistic thinking they meant exactly what they said. I shall be vigilant...

[mcbpete]

There's a good primer I used when I first bought a smart phone that dispelled some of my scares - http://www.androidcentral.com/look-application-permissions