5 ms·

Why does android trust developers so much? Just lock down the apps already, and make microphone usage obvious.

by rubatuga 10y ago

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
izacus 10y ago
Because we already have a locked-down platform and you're welcome to use it.
- rubatuga 10y ago
  Which I do use, if you mean iOS. I'm advocating for further development of android, which hopefully stimulates some more competition. Or maybe it's a good thing that Android is so broken in a privacy sense. It allows government + malicious entities to target it much easier instead of iOS devices, leaving me safer. /s
  - izacus 10y ago
    You're missing the fact that we're using Android because it's NOT locked down and just like malicious apps can use hardware in background... that actually lets useful apps use hardware in background as well. Free market at its best - if you want a corporation to babysit you, you have a platform. If you don't (and want to accept consequences) you can use another one. Great for all of us.
    - djrogers 10y ago
      Nothing in iOS prevents an app from using the microphone in the background - I use apps that do it all the time. When I do however, there is a big, obvious, red bar at the top of my screen to remind me/let me know that it's happening. Why dont the android designers want to do something like that?
      - lemuurd 10y ago
        i think it is fair to say that android can do stuff ios does not allow. for example you can add the behavior you just described to android using something like xprivacy.
        deleted 10y ago
        [deleted]
vetinari 10y ago
Android doesn't trust developers. It trusts users - everything has to be disclosed and users have to agree. It is a open platform, not walled garden. We have https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_pigs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_pigs problem there.
- rubatuga 10y ago
  Thanks for that, it seems to explain most of the problems security faces today. It's similar to how social engineering works, for example, even if someone was told that plugging in a dropped USB stick is dangerous, they may still do it because of the burning curiosity inside. ( I myself would take a peek, at least on a sandbox or VM )
- pishpash 10y ago
  Android trusts developers a hell of a lot more than users.
- swiley 10y ago
  Android does /not/ trust users. The enormous pile of crap I have to go through just to disable selinux and get write access to the sdcard and ext4 partitions is ridiculous.
kwhitefoot 10y ago
The real question is why does Android along with most other operating systems distrust the user so much. If the user were regarded as important facilities would be provided to enable the user to control the applications.
- ocdtrekkie 10y ago
  Users would revoke permissions needed to show ads on apps that have no reason to access the Internet.
- digi_owl 10y ago
  Because as one FOSS dev put it to me once, "users are dumb". This after he had witnessed the results of a usability test on one of the big name desktop environments...

Why does android trust developers so much? Just lock down the apps already, and make microphone usage obvious.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

izacus 10y ago

Because we already have a locked-down platform and you're welcome to use it.

rubatuga 10y ago
Which I do use, if you mean iOS. I'm advocating for further development of android, which hopefully stimulates some more competition. Or maybe it's a good thing that Android is so broken in a privacy sense. It allows government + malicious entities to target it much easier instead of iOS devices, leaving me safer. /s
- izacus 10y ago
  You're missing the fact that we're using Android because it's NOT locked down and just like malicious apps can use hardware in background... that actually lets useful apps use hardware in background as well. Free market at its best - if you want a corporation to babysit you, you have a platform. If you don't (and want to accept consequences) you can use another one. Great for all of us.
  - djrogers 10y ago
    Nothing in iOS prevents an app from using the microphone in the background - I use apps that do it all the time. When I do however, there is a big, obvious, red bar at the top of my screen to remind me/let me know that it's happening. Why dont the android designers want to do something like that?
    - lemuurd 10y ago
      i think it is fair to say that android can do stuff ios does not allow. for example you can add the behavior you just described to android using something like xprivacy.
      - deleted 10y ago
        [deleted]

vetinari 10y ago

Android doesn't trust developers. It trusts users - everything has to be disclosed and users have to agree. It is a open platform, not walled garden. We have https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_pigs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_pigs problem there.

rubatuga 10y ago
Thanks for that, it seems to explain most of the problems security faces today. It's similar to how social engineering works, for example, even if someone was told that plugging in a dropped USB stick is dangerous, they may still do it because of the burning curiosity inside. ( I myself would take a peek, at least on a sandbox or VM )
pishpash 10y ago
Android trusts developers a hell of a lot more than users.
swiley 10y ago
Android does /not/ trust users. The enormous pile of crap I have to go through just to disable selinux and get write access to the sdcard and ext4 partitions is ridiculous.

kwhitefoot 10y ago

The real question is why does Android along with most other operating systems distrust the user so much. If the user were regarded as important facilities would be provided to enable the user to control the applications.

ocdtrekkie 10y ago
Users would revoke permissions needed to show ads on apps that have no reason to access the Internet.
digi_owl 10y ago
Because as one FOSS dev put it to me once, "users are dumb". This after he had witnessed the results of a usability test on one of the big name desktop environments...