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> Which of those things can the official Reddit app do currently? Looking at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.reddit.frontpage&hl=en https://p

by clort 7y ago

> Which of those things can the official Reddit app do currently? Looking at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.reddit.frontpage&hl=en https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.reddit.fro..., scroll down and click the 'View Details' under Permissions. It shows that the app can read your contacts, network connections, approximate location, contents of your USB storage plus much more which would cover all of codedokode's points adequately I think? (I'm not sure of the annoying notifications, perhaps all apps can do that..) The list in full: This app has access to: Photos/Media/Files read the contents of your USB storage modify or delete the contents of your USB storage Location approximate location (network-based) Storage read the contents of your USB storage modify or delete the contents of your USB storage Microphone record audio Camera take pictures and videos Contacts find accounts on the device Device & app history read sensitive log data Identity add or remove accounts find accounts on the device Other receive data from Internet view network connections prevent device from sleeping run at startup read Google service configuration draw over other apps read sync settings full network access create accounts and set passwords use accounts on the device toggle sync on and off install shortcuts

JshWright 7y ago
Many (though certainly not all) of those things require explicit permission from the user (particularly the storage, location, and camera related stuff).
- thewhitetulip 7y ago
  When all an app needs to do is connect to a website and cache a few images why does it need microphone access? Also if it has 100s of dialogs popping up users get a fatigue. They tend to say yes to everything and that's how default Android permissions are
  - inerg 7y ago
    I don't have the app installed but I'm assuming you can record video in it to post on Reddit? If that's the case I can see why it requires access to the microphone. That's the only way I could look at justifying it.
    - thewhitetulip 7y ago
      True. But why need all permissions upfront? Security model should be automated. Request only when needed Can't see why it needs all permissions upfront. Apps keep nagging u until we provide all permissions. 90% of my reddit usage is posting amd reading text. 10% is photo related. So browser is better for me. I don't need an app to have all access when I upload photos once a month
- rjzzleep 7y ago
  The only ones that require user interaction are contacts, location, storage, microphone, camera. Microphone is granted along camera. Camera is needed if you want to upload photos.(I might be wrong about the microphone) Storage is always necessary for apps that cache anything from the web. That leaves contacts and location. So you can disable contacts and location, but all your metadata including device and network information is read and probably transmitted. In most cases it's good enough as location information as well.

by clort 7y ago

JshWright 7y ago

Many (though certainly not all) of those things require explicit permission from the user (particularly the storage, location, and camera related stuff).

thewhitetulip 7y ago
When all an app needs to do is connect to a website and cache a few images why does it need microphone access? Also if it has 100s of dialogs popping up users get a fatigue. They tend to say yes to everything and that's how default Android permissions are
- inerg 7y ago
  I don't have the app installed but I'm assuming you can record video in it to post on Reddit? If that's the case I can see why it requires access to the microphone. That's the only way I could look at justifying it.
  - thewhitetulip 7y ago
    True. But why need all permissions upfront? Security model should be automated. Request only when needed Can't see why it needs all permissions upfront. Apps keep nagging u until we provide all permissions. 90% of my reddit usage is posting amd reading text. 10% is photo related. So browser is better for me. I don't need an app to have all access when I upload photos once a month
rjzzleep 7y ago
The only ones that require user interaction are contacts, location, storage, microphone, camera. Microphone is granted along camera. Camera is needed if you want to upload photos.(I might be wrong about the microphone) Storage is always necessary for apps that cache anything from the web. That leaves contacts and location. So you can disable contacts and location, but all your metadata including device and network information is read and probably transmitted. In most cases it's good enough as location information as well.