FTC torches Android flashlight app for spying on users The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced a clampdown on an Android developer accused of covertly harvesting and selling user locational data. The FTC said that it has reached a settlement with Goldenshores Technologies, a US developer behind the "Brightest Flashlight" mobile application, a free download which the …
They do.
App Ops permission screen is included (but hidden) in 4.3 and above.
http://www.zdnet.com/hidden-android-feature-allows-users-to-fine-tune-app-permissions-7000018944/
Use at your own risk.
Personally I read the permissions on install, and if the app is unreasonable I cancel the install.
They removed it in KitKat, but there's an app called App Opps which puts it back.
Part of the complaint was that the app did stuff before the EULA was read, so a post-install solution won't work (unless it disables everything on newly installed or updated apps, which would be a pain). Instead of installing and then seeing what the app does, we should assume that if it asks for permission to do something, it will do it. So if a torch needs to know your device ID and location and needs to be able to send data, just assume it's going to send your ID and location to someone. And then get a different app. An EULA just lets them hide behind a few pages of legalese which nobody will ever read.
Agreed. Ive removed plenty of apps form my phone because they were benign to start with, but the latest "update" starts asking for all sorts of permissions on location, dialing access, network access, read contact info, the lot. I dont just refuse the update, I remove the older version, and proceed to downvote the hell out of them in the marketplace.
I have about 13 apps in my update queue (and that's exactly where they'll stuck staying forever as far as I'm concerned - or at least until I figure out how to unlink them from the market...) exactly because of starting to ask for permissions I have no intention whatsoever granting them.
Funny though how some browsers think they're exempt - just look at what Opera mobile requests (getting all offended on anyone who asks why) - or easier perhaps, at what it doesn't. And frankly, I'm NOT down at all with Firefox now asking to "take pictures and videos / record audio" either.
Interesting re. downvoting. You also comment on exactly why you've downvoted…?
There are some where I've just kept the old version around. Reasons vary, but generally centre around “it's useful”, “the alternatives don't do what I want” and “the alternatives may be better, but they want even more access”.
"Glad they are getting shut down "
But they aren't - the company are still in business, there's no fine mentioned. All this amounts to is a legally enforceable "cease and desist", with no real punishment. So the message from the FTC is "do what you want so long as you aren't caught, if you are caught there will be no penalty other than to require you to do what you should have been doing in the first place".
Google are no better - they need to ban this company from the Play store and automatically delete the app from user devices if they want to make Play a trusted resource, and make a big song and a dance about the fact to encourage other developers. I don't mind apps wanting to harvest data in return for use of the app, so long as I know up front, and can make an informed choice (which in this case would be a firm "no").
"Why would you download a flashlight app in the first place -- hell of an expensive torch when you consider the wear on the battery and the replacement cost ?"
Easy. Because on any decent smartphone the LED gives much better illumination than an incandescent torch bulb, is more compact, rechargeable, and is with you most of the time. I've got an LED Maglite 2D which can put a spotlight on something a third of a mile away, but it's hardly pocketable, so I don't have it with me very often. Likewise, I've got a proper camera, but that doesn't invalidate the benefit of the one on my phone. Given the occaisional use the impact on battery life or durability is negligible. Obviously those who choose to buy a phone with a non user-replaceable battery might wish to be a bit more paranoid, but even for them I don't think it would be harmful - day to day use as a phone and communicator will knock 40% off your capacity in two years.
I struggle to understand why you wouldn't have a torch app. Been using Tiny Flashlight by Nikolay Ananiev for the past two years and it works for me.
So an app can tell you (or not) what it is going to do, then proceed to do whatever it wants anyway ?
That is just ridiculous. I should have the possibility to DENY access to a functionality for an app and the app should not have the possibility to ignore that.
Google, please fix that. NOW.
I'm getting a bit sick and tired of this kind of stuff.
A very large number of people are not all that tech-savvy and won't notice that some app is looking for ridiculous permissions.
Also, most currently installed versions of Android do not let you block those permissions. It's an all or nothing approach.
It's one of the issues that's starting to really put me off Android.
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