Case of kettle calling the pot black?

[will13am]

Recall how much angst some customers faced trying to figure out where there limited SMS were being consumed.  As it were for android, the dialer was the culprit.  Now google is going to play the white knight and rescue us from SMS abuse. 

https://mobilesyrup.com/2019/01/15/google-remove-apps-cont-comply-call-log-sms-policy/

[will13am]

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@slash407 wrote:

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@computergeek541 wrote:

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@slash407 wrote:

 i dont follow, im sure most don't. Your saying these apps gain permission to ur sms etc and send out text through ur phone service?

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That's exactly what this thread is about.  Apps do sometimes secretly send out text messages without even telling the user.  Google is guilty of this too, and that's what the kettle reference is about.  A lot of the time apps wants these permsions because within an advertisement, there are somtimes options to contact a company by making a phone call to them, but for that type of thing when it happens, it's pretty clear that its occuring. However, some apps does stealthy stuff without any indication of it.

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interesting stuff.......wouldnt the text be logged on ur phone though? 

wow even calls, thats creepy, again wouldnt it be logged as well in ur history

what i dont understnd is when u download a app that has nothing to do with pictures(like it isn't a photo gallery or editor) and they want access to permision of ur pictures and media lol what the hell?

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You didn't know the LED on your phone shines brighter with the size of your contact list which is why all flashlight apps need access to the contact list?  The ultimate permission that android should make available is internet access.  Block that and I don't care what other permission the app has.  Nothing is getting past the big firewall. 

[Anonymous]

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@stonechucker wrote:

@srlawren, I hate having to go into the permissions to revoke these things - all apps should have a setting or even a 'permissions' option right in the GUI.  Get in there, and disable them directly in the app.

I previously had the Energy Bar app enabled with its screen-overlay permission turned on, and a ton of other apps when I installed or launched them started yelling because of the screen overlay.

I had to stop using other apps because of this, as I liked the feature of the Energy Bar. (battery level monitor).  Now on the other hand, chat heads in messenger type apps, they drive me insane!

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I hate all the dang permissions. One...are you fine to share everything about you through this app? NO!

But of course then the app doesn't work. Alas.

[stonechucker]

@srlawren, I hate having to go into the permissions to revoke these things - all apps should have a setting or even a 'permissions' option right in the GUI.  Get in there, and disable them directly in the app.

I previously had the Energy Bar app enabled with its screen-overlay permission turned on, and a ton of other apps when I installed or launched them started yelling because of the screen overlay.

I had to stop using other apps because of this, as I liked the feature of the Energy Bar. (battery level monitor).  Now on the other hand, chat heads in messenger type apps, they drive me insane!

[srlawren]

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@computergeek541 wrote:

The app need to place phones calls so that I watch Grey's Anatomy?  LOL.

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 @computergeek541 your first mistake was watching Grey's Anatomy 😉 

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@computergeek541 wrote:

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However, some apps does stealthy stuff without any indication of it.

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Thank goodness for the changes in Android...I think it was 6.0 Marshmallow when they went to individual permissions for apps instead of all-or-nothing in previous Android versions.  Nowadays you can go into your settings, apps, permissions and view and edit the permissions every app has.  It's a good idea to do this fairly regularly, and try revoking any you don't think are justified.  When you open the app, it might prompt you to put the permission back on, but try denying it and see if it still does everything you want to do just fine. If so, tell it "don't ask again" the next time you launch the app and choose deny again.  

[computergeek541]

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@slash407 wrote:

 i dont follow, im sure most don't. Your saying these apps gain permission to ur sms etc and send out text through ur phone service?

---

That's exactly what this thread is about.  Apps do sometimes secretly send out text messages without even telling the user.  Google is guilty of this too, and that's what the kettle reference is about.  A lot of the time apps wants these permsions because within an advertisement, there are somtimes options to contact a company by making a phone call to them, but for that type of thing when it happens, it's pretty clear that its occuring. However, some apps does stealthy stuff without any indication of it.

[computergeek541]

Like google should talk.

I see weird permission settings all the time.  For example CTV's android app ask you to allow phone calls to be made.  The app need to place phones calls so that I watch Grey's Anatomy?  LOL.

[Alex888]

However, companies are still going to be allowed to request continued access to both call logs and SMS. That's why people need to read the ToS for everything.