Is improved permissions system in Android? - The Android Free

I want to talk and express my opinion on the Android permissions system . Perhaps it is a recurring theme, maybe, but no longer interest to all of us, the end users of Android. I’ll try to explain what might be the strengths and drawbacks of the current system of permits to explain my point of view and we can all discuss if this system can be improved or not.

Do you know how permissions work in Android? I think we all have, to a greater or lesser extent, we have enough ideas to ensure a positive answer to that question. But, as a reminder and summary: when you install any app, it asks us to accept a number of permits, usually, and unfortunately, the vast majority of people do not bother to read or at least scan your actual need them . These permits or accept all (pressing install, ie accept all at once) or we can not use that app . Therefore, although we think that a per mit is suspected, or we accept or we unable to take advantage of what this application offers.

Now, compare with other operating systems , such as iOS and BlackBerry OS. On these operating systems, many permits are selective. Directly ask you “Would you like Angry Birds has access to your camera?” Regardless of the answer you can use the application, but you will not possibly access to all the features it can offer. Imagine if we say we do not want Whatsapp can call directly, because basically lose the functionality of calling from a conversation of this messaging service. Perhaps they are the users of these systems less information about permissions, and maybe ask how to facilitate the refusal and many users lose certain characteristics of pure ignorance or lack of “imagination.” Different approach, and different possibilities. Better or worse? Now we get into it.

First, I wanted to inquire about permissions major apps we use in Spain . For example, among the top five in the category have to Whatsapp free , not finding any permission shock me with the functionality of the app; LINE , which I have my doubts about two permits (pair with Bluetooth device and read the call log); Facebook (which I will not extend a little more); Pou and Candy Crush Saga , not finding either no inconsistency in these two popular games.

I stop the app from the well-known social network, because there are quite a few permissions that strike me, like you have hit a pulser_g2, editor XDA Developers blog.

CONSULT THE IDENTITY AND PHONE STATE

Allows the application to access the phone features of the device. The application can use this to find identifiers of devices and phone numbers, to know whether a call is active and for remote number which is set by a call connection.

agreement you may have more or less sense for what that knows whether a call is active, but this permission grants the knowledge of our IMEI, our MSISDN (phone number), among other things. Does it make sense that you know all this? What exactly our needs our IMEI or MSISDN? Is not this permit should be separated into two?

WRITE

CALL REGISTRY

Allows application to modify the call log of the device, including data on incoming and outgoing calls. Malicious applications can use this to erase or modify the call log.

himself than to me makes no sense. What use can give this? Edit or delete? Record calls? The same you can shed some light on what makes sense for this permit, which is not read, it’s change …

READ THE CALL LOGAllows application

see the call log of the device, including data on incoming and outgoing calls. Applications can use this to save the call log data and malicious applications can share the data without your knowledge.

Neither

understand why will need to know who have called or how or how many times? Again, if you please know what this may be due, will be more than welcome your contributions.

This just wanted to show examples of what we can understand or not on permissions and how they affect our security and our privacy . Surely, if you are an active user of Facebook, you want the app on the phone, and it is possible that most of your interaction with the social network is made through the app.

I say, I want to focus on Facebook, it’s simply a case that a lot of attention, especially in light of a lot of people use it, and that from now comes preinstalled with Android … I do not understand how, eg Crazy Dentist has permission to consult the identity and phone status (again the solution may separate that permissions), that maybe you can not trust the developer, but it becomes more Humor complicated trust for whatsapp 3 , with the same permission or the precise location … may not use the data they have on hand for any commercial purpose, but what if they do?

I propose a mixed model . If you do not want to accept all permits, do not accept them, but why affect application characteristics that are not their core purpose. So that have a total experience only if you want or this is more convenient, especially if you’re skeptical about what an app can do. In fact, there are apps to control permissions that can do this function afterwards, but not working as well as might be expected in many cases.

How

would see a model like this? Are you more comfortable with the current system? Do you prefer the iOS? What other way would you propose to improve the permit system