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Is there any recourse short of "don't use the app" that regular users have against this sort of thing? Is there no meaningful way to push back against Facebook
by simonsarris 13y ago
Is there any recourse short of "don't use the app" that regular users have against this sort of thing?
Is there no meaningful way to push back against Facebook for demanding this permission?
- zobzu 13y agouse cyanogenmod + privacy mode, you can disable what the app can do. for example, you can disable that. app still works, it just gets an empty sms list.
- beedogs 13y agoSure would be nice if someone would jailbreak the iPhone, so we could have these sorts of options in our little walled-gardens too.
- jmreid 13y agoCan't you already disable access to Contact, Calendar, Reminders, location, etc per app on the iPhone?
- comex 13y agoYes. And of course no app can read your text messages in the first place there.
- JohnTHaller 13y agoWell, they could read all that other stuff by default with no warning previously until all sorts of apps abused it. Then Apple had to add in the prompts for things like reading Contacts. I'd imagine the Android devs are working on similar since the list of permissions model is breaking down.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- hoers 13y agoYes you can.
- mortenjorck 13y agoIt's not without its own faults (and it used to have some huge gaps, such as address book access), but the iOS privacy model is simply a more user-centered paradigm than on Android. Android apps ask you if you want to update to the new version or stick with the old one indefinitely; privacy settings are non-negotiable. iOS apps ask you as they go: If iOS had an SMS API, Facebook wouldn't need to ask you until you enabled two-factor authentication (assuming that's all they use it for). And you could turn it back off later if you weren't comfortable leaving it on.
- stesch 13y agoYou don't need to. Apps can't read SMS and for the rest: You get asked for everything and can deny it. On Android it's all or nothing.
- vl 13y agoFunny you say that, because iOS already has all these little options. What's better, apps still get installed and users don't have to make this decision upfront. When permission is required for the first time, dialog box pops up, and then you can refuse each permission individually - i.e. you can give Facebook access to location so you can check in, but block access to contacts.
- eknkc 13y agoAre you sure that you have an iPhone?
- blueskin_ 13y agoThe iphone has had fine-grained privacy before App Ops was released and then removed, and I also think before CyanogenMod had Privacy Guard. One of the few good things about the platform.
- runjake 13y agoWelcome to two major iOS versions ago. iOS already has privacy controls. Check out Settings->Privacy.
- touristtam 13y agoor MIUI that comes directly with the privacy feature.
- dhekir 13y agoUnfortunately, Cyanogenmod's Privacy Guard does not block everything (e.g. your IMEI is still readable if permission READ_PHONE_STATE is granted). XPrivacy can help in this case, but its UI is quite convoluted.
- Maakuth 13y agoThis feature is nowadays called Privacy Guard and it works so well that I have it on by default for all apps. With the exception of apps that actually need to read my contacts (say WhatsApp), I have not had to disable it for any applications and haven't seen any complications. For example Facebook and Twitter apps, which require a whole rainbow of permissions, function just the way they used to. I've never made a lot of use of their location dependent features though and would expect those to suffer from being deprived of GPS data.
- hornetblack 13y agoI haven't got round to rooting my droid yet, but my plan is to always tell facebook/twitter/google+ that my current position is directly under the moon/iss/some other satilite. Or maybe I'll trace out "Hello FB" on the Atlantic ocean.
- dredmorbius 13y agoThat so needs to be a thing. Though I don't think I'd be tracing out "Hello". Unless you speak Bronx.
- annnnd 13y agoThis sounds excellent, I can't believe I never tried it yet! Of course, this should be part of core Android, but I guess there is no hope for that (given that Google makes its dough on advertising).
- blueskin_ 13y agoIt used to be, called App Ops. It was in for (one?) point release before google promptly withdrew it again after realising that giving people tools to protect their privacy goes against their mission.
- Maakuth 13y agoAccording to Google [1], it was never meant to ship at that point as it was not ready for general public. There was some compatibility problems with many applications, so that is somewhat believable. [1] http://www.dailytech.com/Google+Removes+App+Ops+Privacy+Control+Feature+from+Android+442/article33936.htm http://www.dailytech.com/Google+Removes+App+Ops+Privacy+Cont...
- retroafroman 13y agoI uninstalled the app and put a bookmark to the mobile site on my homescreen instead (like the old days before app stores). It's slightly slower, but on a Nexus 4, it's still fast enough I don't mind. They've improved the mobile interface since the early iPhone days.
- omaranto 13y agoI remember that a couple of years ago the mobile website was actually noticeably faster than the app, at least on iOS, and gave you access to more features. Back then I kept the app around just to upload photos, but used the mobile site for everything else.
- bentcorner 13y agoThis FB app is what you're looking for: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.danvelazco.fbwrapper https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.danvelazco...
- martius 13y agoWhat's the difference with using a browser bookmark?
- pxndx 13y agoIt has menu options to go directly to your news feed, the top of the page, notifications and preferences, so it makes browsing the mobile page easier. It also saves the facebook cookies so you don't have to type your user and password every time you want log in.
- officer_gotcha 13y agoOpenPDroid.
- muppetman 13y agoIf you have a Samsung Android phone, there's a Permissions Manager that allows you to firewall what apps can and can't do. Same as Cyanogenmod without having to root your phone.
- exodust 13y agoNo there isn't.
- will_work4tears 13y agoI think he's referring to this - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appaholics.applauncher https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appaholics...
- hackmiester 13y agoWhat a constructive comment!
- exodust 13y agoCorrecting factual errors is constructive. The post implied that all you need is a Samsung Phone, then you have "Permissions Manager". No mention of an app. But then, when you look at the reviews for the app that is linked above, it doesn't give one a lot of confidence in managing permissions on Android.
- alistairjcbrown 13y agoYes there is. It's called "Permissions Manager" and is available through the Samsung app store.
- modern_privacy 13y agoEven if the app would tap into their conversations, bank account and demanded your social security number, people would still use it. "Normal" people don't understand the concept of privacy when it comes to technology like this.
- higherpurpose 13y agoShame on Google for not allowing users to take better control over their apps and privacy. They almost did it in Android 4.3, and then took it back in 4.4, when they realized people might actually use it.
- veeti 13y agoOr, you know, because it was 1) a hidden debugging menu and 2) lacking functionally.
- weland 13y ago> Is there no meaningful way to push back against Facebook for demanding this permission? I think "not using the app" is the most meaningful way, really. Alternatively, spoof its private data hose and flood Facebook with garbage data, but I presume that's illegal.
- blueskin_ 13y agoI don't see how. They're accessing data on your phone, you aren't exactly cracking their databases and modifying stuff.
- hornetblack 13y agoI just haven't updated facebook. I'm sure it's not great for security.
- raverbashing 13y agoYou can use the mobile web page for Facebook. Less intrusive, less privacy issues. And it probably works better than the app.
- sh1989 13y agoThis is my preferred solution for the times I have to unavoidably use Facebook: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.danvelazco.fbwrapper&hl=en_GB https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.danvelazco...
- djm_ 13y agoI love this app; I've been using it for years now. Never having to login to FB in the actual browser is a real boon; it's great at sandboxing their cookies.
- 01Michael10 13y agoI am not a Facebook app user since closed my account years ago so maybe not the best person to comment but... I have never understood why one needs an app to view a website? Facebook has a mobile site that works yes?
- dlwiest 13y agoThe app can push notifications to your phone, which is nice for regular users, and it can merge with contacts to fill in blank pictures and provide more information. It's not essential, but some of the integration is nice.
- 01Michael10 13y agoIf I every get Facebook notifications on my mobile phone you are authorized to shot me in the head...
- gamegoblin 13y agoSome of my friends prefer FB message to SMS for some reason or another, and use it accordingly, so push is nice for that purpose.
- pavel_lishin 13y agoI've started using FB messaging - I live in New York, in a basement, and frequently hang out in places with plenty of Wifi, but zero cell signal. In that situation, I cannot send or receive SMS messages, but FB, etc., work just fine.
- gms7777 13y agoI use FB message to communicate with friends in other countries. I know there are other apps out there for it, but when we all have Facebook already, its easier that way.
- DominikR 13y ago<shameless plug> You can use my Facebook client, which definitely doesn't read your text messages, emails and calendar. Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.flipster&hl=en https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.flipster&h... </shameless plug>
- BlackDeath3 13y ago>which definitely doesn't read your text messages, emails and calendar Does this constitute a privacy policy?
- DominikR 13y agoWell, you don't have to trust me or some privacy policy. On Android you can see for yourself whether an app tries to access data such as text messages, emails or calendar. My app doesn't ask for those permissions, therefore it can't access that data.
- BlackDeath3 13y agoThat was a joke.
- DominikR 13y agoSorry, didn't get that, English isn't my native language.
- BlackDeath3 13y agoYeah, I get that a lot.
- pyrocat 13y agoTheir mobile website is serviceable.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]