4 ms·

I used this app before, how is this a malware ?

• bhouston 8y ago
  It sends anonymized data of every website on the internet, when you access it, and it also monitors the apps you use (probably because it intercepts their web traffic.) So basically Facebook knows what you do.
  • matz1 8y ago
    Yes its writen in the app description. Its free in return for data collection. How is this damaging my device?
    • darpa_escapee 8y ago
      If I've mistaken your question for pedantry, please forgive me. You can narrowly define malware by a quick dictionary definition[1]: > software that is intended to damage or disable computers and computer systems. However, malware also has a much looser definition[2] if we don't restrict ourselves to a one sentence Google result: > Programs officially supplied by companies can be considered malware if they secretly act against the interests of the computer user. For example, Sony sold the Sony rootkit, which contained a Trojan horse embedded into CDs that silently installed and concealed itself on purchasers' computers with the intention of preventing illicit copying. It also reported on users' listening habits, and unintentionally created vulnerabilities that were then exploited by unrelated malware. [1] https://www.google.com/search?q=define%3Amalware https://www.google.com/search?q=define%3Amalware [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malware https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malware
    • AlexandrB 8y ago
      It's shocking how far the overton window on privacy has shifted in just 10 years. Bonzi Buddy and it's ilk were generally considered malware and frequently chided on the internet at the time. Now people defend almost the same practices (in a nicer package) on Hacker News. We are truly fucked.
      • matz1 8y ago
        Shocking right ? that the world always changing. I personally welcome this change. This one is different than pop up ads in the past where it actually annoy me.
  • aylmao 8y ago
    In all seriousness, that's not malware though. Facebook is a big company competing directly with Google: it makes sense that they want a similar level of access to market insights as their competitor has. Google collects a lot of data [3], including app and website usage [2] too. They have full access all the analytics a phone OS can provide, after all. I'm not saying this is ok, but if we claim this is malware then Android is malware too. I rather reserve the malware label to software that is directly designed to harm. PS: Apple collects app usage too [1], but IMO they're at least more clear about it. [1] https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202100 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202100 [2] https://myaccount.google.com/activitycontrols https://myaccount.google.com/activitycontrols [3] https://privacy.google.com/your-data.html https://privacy.google.com/your-data.html EDIT: Why the downvote? Rather than downvoting, some constructive discussion on spyware and business practices would be IMO more welcome.
    • mirimir 8y ago
      > I'm not saying this is ok, but if we claim this is malware then Android is malware too. Sure, it is. Or spyware, at least. So is Windows. > I rather reserve the malware label to software that is directly designed to harm. Stealing data is harmful. I mean, consider the OpenSSH user enumeration vulnerability.
    • ilovecaching 8y ago
      I agree with this sentiment. This is no more harmful than a web mail client that collections personal information for targeted ads, or a mobile operating system by an ads company. The best thing Google has is their marketing department.
    • RaleyField 8y ago
      > but if we claim this is malware then Android is malware too. It is? Android is completely ridden with dark patterns[1]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_pattern https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_pattern