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"took steps to secure these Device IDs, and began allowing their users to delete them, in the same way they could delete cookies in their desktop Web browser."

"took steps to secure these Device IDs, and began allowing their users to delete them, in the same way they could delete cookies in their desktop Web browser." That's a joke. Android's permission model encourages users to freely give out their device serial number. The permission to read device ID is hidden behind the permission that allows an app to determine if you're on a call. A totally innocuous permission (which should not be a permission) smuggles in a very intrusive one. Oh, and for a kicker, device ID permission also gives apps access to the number of who you call or calls you. So even security conscious users that check permissions can easily get tricked. "Sure, I want this flashlight app to turn off if I get a call so I don't blind myself trying to answer" - bam, you just gave away your permanent ID and call logs. This could be a negligent incompetent mistake on Google's part, but it seems unlikely because it's so nonsensical and they've done nothing to rectify it in years.

higherpurpose 12y ago
I'm also starting to believe that Android's extremely vague permissions are not that vague because of their engineers' incompetence, but because it was done this way on purpose. Google promised at I/O that a permission system with more fine-grain control would come in Lollipop, but it's still nowhere to be seen.
- userbinator 12y ago
  Agree with this, especially after their fine-grain control App Ops, which received a very positive response, was completely removed, and the reason they gave for doing so quite nonsensical: "it can break apps" - obviously, that's why people want to use it - to prevent apps from "breaking" their personal privacy. (My Android's ID/serial number is 0123456789ABCDEF, the same as tens of millions others out there, so I'm not so worried about it. One of the perks of owning an unbranded generic Chinese device, along with a new random MAC address whenever I reset the WiFi...)
  - MichaelGG 12y ago
    It's unlikely your IMEI is non unique though.

higherpurpose 12y ago

I'm also starting to believe that Android's extremely vague permissions are not that vague because of their engineers' incompetence, but because it was done this way on purpose. Google promised at I/O that a permission system with more fine-grain control would come in Lollipop, but it's still nowhere to be seen.

userbinator 12y ago
Agree with this, especially after their fine-grain control App Ops, which received a very positive response, was completely removed, and the reason they gave for doing so quite nonsensical: "it can break apps" - obviously, that's why people want to use it - to prevent apps from "breaking" their personal privacy. (My Android's ID/serial number is 0123456789ABCDEF, the same as tens of millions others out there, so I'm not so worried about it. One of the perks of owning an unbranded generic Chinese device, along with a new random MAC address whenever I reset the WiFi...)
- MichaelGG 12y ago
  It's unlikely your IMEI is non unique though.