If you really are worried now, you could install one of the many antiviruses for Android
Antivirus software? That is sooo 1996.
People actually need that still? On your phone? I already know why Apple is gaining marketshare, in whatever market they're in, but not having to install antivirus software on your Mac or iPhone is one of many very clear reasons people switch.
However, IF (1) users don't agree to the terms and conditions of use until they first use (launch) the app, and (2) the app harvests your data when you install it, (as the poorly-worded article states), but before you can consent to the terms and conditions of use, then Facebook is wrong.
If you download the app from the Google Play Store you do agree to the possibility of Facebook doing this before downloading. Now this may be difficult for some to understand but you do not install an app until after you download it..
When you click download for any app in Play Store you are given a list of access rights that the app has. You have to actively agree to continue with the download. It is a two step process so that you can not download without having seen this infomation. If you choose to ignore it then that is your choice..
With facebook you are warned that it can access your phone number and asked if you want to proceed. To do so and then say you did not know is being rather stupid isnt it..
It is just like the AppStore in app purchases problem where parents were downloading an app and their kids were spending big without their parents permission. The overwhelming feeling on this forum was that it was the parents fault for not reading the conditions. Apple was innocent because they warned people this could happen..
Funny how when Android does the same it is Androids fault and not the users..
I do not use the facebook app because I do not like the level of access that goes with it.
I use a permission manager that I can choose what an app can and can't have access to. Google should bake it into Android to avoid this sort of problems. It'll also fix some malware problems.
It is baked into Android for every app. To install anything the user has to give permission for whatever aspects an app wishes to access. When it was found that anyone could get Apples users info at will, one of the many things Apple copied from Android was implementing app permissions.
If you read the App permissions list prior to installing Facebook- yep, its Facebook. You have to give them permission for EVERYTHING. Your location, contacts etc etc. If you 'okay' that, then Facebook has its run of your information- and you gave them consent to do it. You KNOW they are going to do it, if freakin' Facebook lol
Headline might as well read:
User give Facebook permission to view their bank accounts, and Facebook views all of their bank accounts!
Users can't pick and choose permissions on any platform, if you 'choose' not to give Facebook permission the app simply won't install.
Of course the source, Symantec, isn't going to highlight that. Stop posting information from companies that try to scare people into buying 'malware' software that is more intrusive than the problem itself as though it were news.
It is baked into Android for every app. To install anything the user has to give permission for whatever aspects an app wishes to access. When it was found that anyone could get Apples users info at will, one of the many things Apple copied from Android was implementing app permissions.
To be fair, iOS apps always had to request permissions to do stuff but the requests were visible to the the app store reviewers, not the end users. In iOS 6, apps began declaring some of that information to users as well.
Edit: It appears that I was slightly mistaken about the iOS permissions system. I had assumed that permissions on iOS worked like OS X sandbox "entitlements" where an app starts with no privileges and needs to explicitly declare its intention to perform each kind of action, which basically how android permissions work. Could one of you iOS devs out there clarify this matter?
It is baked into Android for every app. To install anything the user has to give permission for whatever aspects an app wishes to access. When it was found that anyone could get Apples users info at will, one of the many things Apple copied from Android was implementing app permissions.
If you read the App permissions list prior to installing Facebook- yep, its Facebook. You have to give them permission for EVERYTHING. Your location, contacts etc etc. If you 'okay' that, then Facebook has its run of your information- and you gave them consent to do it. You KNOW they are going to do it, if freakin' Facebook lol
Headline might as well read:
User give Facebook permission to view their bank accounts, and Facebook views all of their bank accounts!
Users can't pick and choose permissions on any platform, if you 'choose' not to give Facebook permission the app simply won't install.
Of course the source, Symantec, isn't going to highlight that. Stop posting information from companies that try to scare people into buying 'malware' software that is more intrusive than the problem itself as though it were news.
Android has had third party custom permission utilities since version 1. I block access to my contacts for all of my apps except the phone, especially Facebook (it works just fine). Simply download LBE Privacy Guard, this is a none issue. Well maybe for someone who doesn't spend time in reading what are the weakness of ones OS and then plugs them up. A simple Google search like; "Android custom app permissions" would have told you everything you needed to do.
This sounds easy and simple for a prank caller, even more of a problem would be someone with a homemade app that advertises false, yet when opened takes data, then after you delete app they still got the data.
Apple is real simple with IOS security. When it is requested apple has message that appears deny or accept.
If you download the app from the Google Play Store you do agree to the possibility of Facebook doing this before downloading. Now this may be difficult for some to understand but you do not install an app until after you download it..
When you click download for any app in Play Store you are given a list of access rights that the app has. You have to actively agree to continue with the download. It is a two step process so that you can not download without having seen this infomation. If you choose to ignore it then that is your choice..
I wasn't aware that Google Play worked that way. Thanks for the info.
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by mhikl
Block the trolls, guys. Don't quote them. It's offensive to see their muck.
But then nobody will see your posts!
Enjoy having this link completely ignored by the "outraged" icabal. Such information can not penetrate the Apple bubble-sphere.
Except that this is no longer the case for iOS6 (> 92% usage) Settings->Privacy->Contacts.I thought I heard the French say the same about you, yesterday.
Antivirus software? That is sooo 1996.
People actually need that still? On your phone? I already know why Apple is gaining marketshare, in whatever market they're in, but not having to install antivirus software on your Mac or iPhone is one of many very clear reasons people switch.
You are correct, that is a valid option.
However, IF (1) users don't agree to the terms and conditions of use until they first use (launch) the app, and (2) the app harvests your data when you install it, (as the poorly-worded article states), but before you can consent to the terms and conditions of use, then Facebook is wrong.
If you download the app from the Google Play Store you do agree to the possibility of Facebook doing this before downloading. Now this may be difficult for some to understand but you do not install an app until after you download it..When you click download for any app in Play Store you are given a list of access rights that the app has. You have to actively agree to continue with the download. It is a two step process so that you can not download without having seen this infomation. If you choose to ignore it then that is your choice..
With facebook you are warned that it can access your phone number and asked if you want to proceed. To do so and then say you did not know is being rather stupid isnt it..
It is just like the AppStore in app purchases problem where parents were downloading an app and their kids were spending big without their parents permission. The overwhelming feeling on this forum was that it was the parents fault for not reading the conditions. Apple was innocent because they warned people this could happen..
Funny how when Android does the same it is Androids fault and not the users..
I do not use the facebook app because I do not like the level of access that goes with it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrrodriguez
I use a permission manager that I can choose what an app can and can't have access to. Google should bake it into Android to avoid this sort of problems. It'll also fix some malware problems.
It is baked into Android for every app. To install anything the user has to give permission for whatever aspects an app wishes to access. When it was found that anyone could get Apples users info at will, one of the many things Apple copied from Android was implementing app permissions.
If you read the App permissions list prior to installing Facebook- yep, its Facebook. You have to give them permission for EVERYTHING. Your location, contacts etc etc. If you 'okay' that, then Facebook has its run of your information- and you gave them consent to do it. You KNOW they are going to do it, if freakin' Facebook lol
Headline might as well read:
User give Facebook permission to view their bank accounts, and Facebook views all of their bank accounts!
Users can't pick and choose permissions on any platform, if you 'choose' not to give Facebook permission the app simply won't install.
Of course the source, Symantec, isn't going to highlight that. Stop posting information from companies that try to scare people into buying 'malware' software that is more intrusive than the problem itself as though it were news.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frood
It is baked into Android for every app. To install anything the user has to give permission for whatever aspects an app wishes to access. When it was found that anyone could get Apples users info at will, one of the many things Apple copied from Android was implementing app permissions.
To be fair, iOS apps always had to request permissions to do stuff but the requests were visible to the the app store reviewers, not the end users. In iOS 6, apps began declaring some of that information to users as well.
Edit: It appears that I was slightly mistaken about the iOS permissions system. I had assumed that permissions on iOS worked like OS X sandbox "entitlements" where an app starts with no privileges and needs to explicitly declare its intention to perform each kind of action, which basically how android permissions work. Could one of you iOS devs out there clarify this matter?
1. He's the one who posted post #6.
2. He's not trolling under any definition of the word.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ktappe
So how's that open platform thing workin' out for ya?
Great! Thanks for asking.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frood
It is baked into Android for every app. To install anything the user has to give permission for whatever aspects an app wishes to access. When it was found that anyone could get Apples users info at will, one of the many things Apple copied from Android was implementing app permissions.
If you read the App permissions list prior to installing Facebook- yep, its Facebook. You have to give them permission for EVERYTHING. Your location, contacts etc etc. If you 'okay' that, then Facebook has its run of your information- and you gave them consent to do it. You KNOW they are going to do it, if freakin' Facebook lol
Headline might as well read:
User give Facebook permission to view their bank accounts, and Facebook views all of their bank accounts!
Users can't pick and choose permissions on any platform, if you 'choose' not to give Facebook permission the app simply won't install.
Of course the source, Symantec, isn't going to highlight that. Stop posting information from companies that try to scare people into buying 'malware' software that is more intrusive than the problem itself as though it were news.
Android has had third party custom permission utilities since version 1. I block access to my contacts for all of my apps except the phone, especially Facebook (it works just fine). Simply download LBE Privacy Guard, this is a none issue. Well maybe for someone who doesn't spend time in reading what are the weakness of ones OS and then plugs them up. A simple Google search like; "Android custom app permissions" would have told you everything you needed to do.
Apple is real simple with IOS security. When it is requested apple has message that appears deny or accept.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nairb
If you download the app from the Google Play Store you do agree to the possibility of Facebook doing this before downloading. Now this may be difficult for some to understand but you do not install an app until after you download it..When you click download for any app in Play Store you are given a list of access rights that the app has. You have to actively agree to continue with the download. It is a two step process so that you can not download without having seen this infomation. If you choose to ignore it then that is your choice..
I wasn't aware that Google Play worked that way. Thanks for the info.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Curtis Hannah
Apple is real simple with IOS security. When it is requested apple has message that appears deny or accept.
While it helps, what some are trying to point out is that the initial prompt isn't a perfect solution on any OS.
This is because there are plenty of apps where on-phone local access to personal info makes sense, so the user would naturally click okay.
However, what's missing is that the user cannot know if the app will also send the personal data off-phone to some server.
It is very difficult, if not impossible, to prevent that situation, especially if it waited a while, so that initial testing would not show it.
It always boils down to common sense (a flashlight app doesn't need such access) and how much you trust the app developer.
Thanks to share it with us android is the best operating smart phone for and its apps are not expensive.... and so easily created...
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