The Android Dilemma - An Open Platform Open to Piracy?

[DarkStarr]

BTW, this is the permission that allows the reading of your number:

read phone state and identity
Allows the app to access the phone features of the device. An app with this permission can determine the phone number and serial number of this phone, whether a call is active, the number that call is connected to and the like.

Google play uses it as does several other apps like netflix, as do some browsers, skype, speedtest.nets app uses it ffs, along with titanium backup and Torque, as well as trackid, tvshowfavs and likely a ton more apps. Now, that's not to say they are actually reading your number, since the permission does several things but, either way why get paranoid?

I have had no spam calls from any android apps I have had but I have gotten more than I can count since changing my number.

 

[Rob Williams]

I don't know. I would think that as much as Google likes to data mine that they know the phone number of every android based phone out there. They might not know what Gmail/Google account it belongs to but I'm sure they know it.

Unless the telco is telling Google your phone number, I don't see how the company would wind up with it. It's when you log into a Google account on the phone that your phone number is passed along.

And let's be real: what good is a phone number anyway? It's not like they are going to sell it off or start spamming you (I don't get telemarketer calls at all; perhaps I'm a minority).

read phone state and identity
Allows the app to access the phone features of the device. An app with this permission can determine the phone number and serial number of this phone, whether a call is active, the number that call is connected to and the like.

What bugs me is when apps that don't need that sort of information at -all- request it. I use so many apps that I've just come to not care. No other reason than conveniece (a horrible attitude, to be fair).

 

[DarkStarr]

What bugs me is when apps that don't need that sort of information at -all- request it. I use so many apps that I've just come to not care. No other reason than conveniece (a horrible attitude, to be fair).

I agree that some apps ask for way too much, and that's why I usually read the reviews on stuff. Most of the time people say something about it when its related to contacts and that type of thing.

I don't really care too much either but if I get an app like that, I can revoke its permissions to whatever I like if I choose using an app called "Lucky Patcher" and its permissions modification options.

(The app itself is mainly used to well.... pirate other apps) I have not heard of other "permission management" apps out there.

 

[madmat]

Unless the telco is telling Google your phone number, I don't see how the company would wind up with it. It's when you log into a Google account on the phone that your phone number is passed along.

And let's be real: what good is a phone number anyway? It's not like they are going to sell it off or start spamming you (I don't get telemarketer calls at all; perhaps I'm a minority).



What bugs me is when apps that don't need that sort of information at -all- request it. I use so many apps that I've just come to not care. No other reason than conveniece (a horrible attitude, to be fair).

How do they end up with any of their info? They supply the browser which has permission to read phone state. They provide the OS which has permission to read phone state and they're linked to it through "firmware updates" which runs 24/7.

Am I paranoid? Probably so but when stuff comes to light about abuses of power by cable/satellite companies (their equipment tracks you) or Google data mining via WiFi or the government sticking tracking devices on cars of its citizens, I'm not surprised because I already figured it was happening.

 

[Rob Williams]

I don't really care too much either but if I get an app like that, I can revoke its permissions to whatever I like if I choose using an app called "Lucky Patcher" and its permissions modification options.

I might have to look into that. I'm not concerned too much with permissions, I admit, but it'd still be nice to block certain apps when they request truly ridiculous things.

How do they end up with any of their info? They supply the browser which has permission to read phone state. They provide the OS which has permission to read phone state and they're linked to it through "firmware updates" which runs 24/7.

Firmware updates don't go through Google. And I agree, they might be able to get it via the browser, but again, what purpose would it serve? None at all. Google isn't selling the numbers, isn't calling it, so it's useless. Any other information if could possibly scan on the phone is going to be way more valuable.

 

[madmat]

I might have to look into that. I'm not concerned too much with permissions, I admit, but it'd still be nice to block certain apps when they request truly ridiculous things.



Firmware updates don't go through Google. And I agree, they might be able to get it via the browser, but again, what purpose would it serve? None at all. Google isn't selling the numbers, isn't calling it, so it's useless. Any other information if could possibly scan on the phone is going to be way more valuable.

Why did they look into people's emails and scan their networks when doing Google street view? Simply because they can. Why would they want to know the phone number of a device? You're not very devious, are you? The devices are GPS enabled (even if you turn the GPS off, it ain't off) like all modern phones so that should you make a 911 call they can locate you. If they know the phone number of the device and get a request from the police or FBI or DHS or etc, to trace a mobile device, all they have to do is put 1 with 1 and find it.

 

[Rob Williams]

Why did they look into people's emails and scan their networks when doing Google street view? Simply because they can. Why would they want to know the phone number of a device? You're not very devious, are you? The devices are GPS enabled (even if you turn the GPS off, it ain't off) like all modern phones so that should you make a 911 call they can locate you. If they know the phone number of the device and get a request from the police or FBI or DHS or etc, to trace a mobile device, all they have to do is put 1 with 1 and find it.

I'm still not quite sure what this has to do with Google. Like all other phones, your carrier is going to be able to locate where you are based on GPS or other things. Google having your phone number doesn't aide in them finding you... the GPS/wireless network is enough for that.