Do you check app permissions?

[Guest Paul]

When you install / update an app, do you check the app's permissions?

Vote now, i'll explain why when we have some results in (it's nothing sinister - a Market mod in fact...)

P

[Guest Snarkasm]

I check the first time, and any time an app requests a manual update. Any interim updates, I don't pay attention to - as I understand it, Google enforces a manual update if the permissions change from the original install.

[Guest Kreaus]

I always do. Even when I have absolute confidence in the editor.

[Guest UbuntuBhoy]

Sadly I only check if there are not a lot, laziness on my part. It probably wont change until something happens, and then it could be too late.

[Guest mark2410]

nope, only one that ever made me look was a stopwatch app that had a huge list of permissions which i thought was odd. i just didint install it.

[Guest arielext]

When the app changes permissions I tend to look at it

[Guest Fone_Fanatic]

I check the first time, and any time an app requests a manual update. Any interim updates, I don't pay attention to - as I understand it, Google enforces a manual update if the permissions change from the original install.

Same here.. also check the change log in the description.

[Guest tdroza]

Recently I find myself paying more attention to permissions. I pretty much always check if the permissions have changed (forcing a manual update).

I also often check the changelog but that's mainly to see if there are any exciting new features.

[Guest BashyUK]

To be honest, nope.. A cursory glance at most because A) I really don't know what can be done by those wanting to be mischievous with Android. :P The information provided doesn't really mean much to me and will mean even less so to those not very tech literate.

I also think a lot of the maybe votes are no users in denial :-p OK I hope that's the case for me lol!

[Guest Jon Green]

Oh, I always check.

What bugs me about the perms, though, is how little they actually say.

Often, you get things like "Can read SMS", "Can make phone calls", "Can read Contacts", and so on - but no explanation as to why.

I'd like to see the permissions expanded, with a justification and use statement attached to each requested permission, the use statement being binding within the vendor's (and ideally emptor's) jurisdiction, and certainly within Google's. For example: if an application states that it wants access to Contacts, it must explain why, and what's being done with the data. So, if it says it's in order to update Contacts from scanned business cards (for instance), then that's the only thing it can do with the data - it can't read all my Contacts and send their contents to its Mothership for "marketing" purposes.

Google can use Terms and Conditions requiring full and complete disclosure in this way to enforce punitive action. Offenders giving false statements and abusing user data can be ejected from Android Market, any unpaid royalties forfeited (ideally to the Free Software Foundation, or a portfolio of charities), existing users refunded and the application quarantined (with consent) on user devices - without limitation of any other recourses Google, or Android users, might take.

Is this unreasonable?

Remember, the window of opportunity is now. If we don't act to enforce our rights to privacy of our personal data whilst we can, we won't have any.

[Guest Igniztion]

I check the first time, and any time an app requests a manual update. Any interim updates, I don't pay attention to - as I understand it, Google enforces a manual update if the permissions change from the original install.

This

[Guest Nielzs]

I only check permissions for apps that aren't populair. So i don't check permissions for official twitter app. But i do check permissions for a keyboard app.

[Guest @dap]

I check the first time, and any time an app requests a manual update. Any interim updates, I don't pay attention to - as I understand it, Google enforces a manual update if the permissions change from the original install.

Yeah, I do pretty much the same thing...

[Guest AndroidAppCritic]

No. And for those who do, I think you need to check your tin foil hats. The apps are not out to get you. Pay attention to what you are installing and you'll be fine. If it looks like spam, it is. If my official Chase bank app wanted permission to everything on my phone I wouldn't think twice. It just doesn't matter and they simply aren't doing anything sinister with it. And now, flame away. :-)

[Guest Simon O]

I don't check them. My phones more at risk from myself than any applications I install.

[Guest Kr0nos]

i sometimes check.

Aren't permisions useless on rooted phones anyway?

[Guest AndroidAppCritic]

i sometimes check.

Aren't permisions useless on rooted phones anyway?

Yes and no. If you give Internet access and root access to an app it can basically do a whole hell of a lot of damage (like transfer ALL of your data to an outside network). But again, is Koush who develops ROM Manager really doing that? No. Is ChainsDD of SU.apk doing that? No. If they were then the Android community wouldn't have made it past day one. There is a certain amount of trust that I've placed in developers and without that trust, don't bother to use apps. Hell, my whole ROM was made by someone else. They could literally be doing whatever they want.

[Guest kram23]

What Jon Green said above.

Mark.

[Guest nvkid909]

Yup quick read first... do find it odd why some apps need all those permissions, this is one of the (few) good things about S60 v5 - you could go & edit all the permissions (hacked phone). Can you do this on rooted Android, or must you take the apps or leave 'em?

Not too bothered so far as I've not rooted & mostly got from Market, otherwise, if it looks dodgy just leave it.

[Guest mickey megabyte]

yes, i know it's an old thread, but i just don't care :D

i don't keep anything important/sensitive on my phone.

if some evil developer or shady intelligence agency wants to read all my texts or bookmarks, then let them waste their time - they'll have less time left over to do something really evil.