“If an app asks for Android permissions that it doesn’t rightfully need (like screen recording permissions for a BMI app), deny it; who knows what kind of things the app can harvest if you allow it?”
Huh? Don’t install it in the first place! Because, “who knows what kind of things the app can…” 🤦♂️
Of course, if unsure, reaching out to the devs for clarification is fair. But make sure the answer is reasonable.
#Android #security #malware
Btw: that’s why at #IzzyOnDroid we try to make such #permission needs transparent for the #Android #apps we provide. Not just by linking to permission descriptions (what they are meant for in general), but also by explaining what this app needs it for – as the screenshot here shows:
@[email protected] Or maybe, here’s an idea, don’t let apps like that on the store in the first fucking place?
@[email protected] at #IzzyOnDroid we have scanners in place that check each app on each update for such things. Should something “suspicious” show up, we receive an “alert”, cross-check why the app might need that, reach out to the developers if unclear.
Results: either the permission is clarified (and the explanation added as in the screenshot) – or it is removed (sometimes, dependencies “drag stuff in” without the devs having intended that; we’re all humans, mistakes can happen to each of us).
@[email protected] Yet stupid shit like this ends up in the app store all the time, and doesn’t get fixed. So until someone actually closes that loophole, I won’t care one iota what anyone in Android or Apple does to ‘fix’ the problem. Until you start doing that, sit down, shut up, and let the actual grown ups talk. Otherwise go fucking do your job.
@[email protected] Now guess why e.g. I don’t use “the app store”? I’ve cut my ties to Google ~10 years ago. No Google Services on my devices, no PlayStore. I prefer places where I can actually “talk to a human” instead of getting “robot replies” (if I get any at all), or needing to compromise my privacy 🤷♂️
TL;DR: Count us as “someone else” who tries to “get it right” 😉 And visit e.g. https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid instead of “the app store” 😜
@[email protected] I use fdroid for specific stuff, it was one of the first ‘nonplaystore’ ones i went with because I’m alll for FOSS. But then I saw how badly it was curated, and realized it’s just a crappy repeat of the playstore with better human involvement.
