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Uber wants access to browsing history, bookmarks, and running apps

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Re: Uber wants access to browsing history, bookmarks, and running apps

#131

Post by chris_wot »

newjersey wrote: post #123
profeta wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> system is broken and UI is confusing, protect nothing from user even if working right. > leave system broken but hide UI so nobody cares. hopefully, it is just incompetence, not evil.

When it comes to Uber, I think the default is to assume malice unless we can prove it is incompetence.

Yeah, I'm afraid that in Uber's case this is what you must assume. Normally I don't default to such a state, I honestly feel that most times it's just incompetence within an organization, but in Uber's case they have been a bad actor for a long time now so they just can't be trusted.

I won't be using Uber, ever.

Re: Uber wants access to browsing history, bookmarks, and running apps

#132

Post by chris_wot »

SquareWheel wrote: post #129
colordrops wrote: post #106

There is definitely an Uber presence on HN doing damage control.

People sure love to throw out the shill card without providing any proof.

Perhaps, but the comments are a bit silly given what the parent poster says: 60% of Android users are affected by this.

Why do Uber need that permission in the first place? What exactly are they doing with the permissions that are granted?

Re: Uber wants access to browsing history, bookmarks, and running apps

#133

Post by Zombieball »

jagger27 wrote: post #57
matt_wulfeck wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Either that's not entirely truthful, or the app permission system is totally broken... Need to find out when you last opened the app? "Get running apps"...?

I don't even understand why they need local access to figure this out. Poll the web API for last_login and be done with it. Surely they're already tracking and storing this kind of data on their end.

Doesn't uber have tight integration with other apps that could be running? e.g. Google maps?

I assume the handoff from Google Maps doesn't require any kind of check to running apps from Uber, but I am curious if it is something along these lines.

Re: Uber wants access to browsing history, bookmarks, and running apps

#134

Post by dredmorbius »

alanh wrote: post #104
swiley wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, what we need is the ability to modify the system software on our phones easily to stop this kind of thing. On a normal Unix system you would just run the app as a separate user (or worst case, sandbox it) but on android non of the interfaces (or really much of anything at all) can be controlled by the user.

That is simply not a solution that will work for more than 0.1% of the populace. While you meant nothing wrong, your "solution" repulses me because I don’t care about this sort of thing just for myself and other supernerds, but for my friends and family and countrymen as well.

If the means are there, solutions for the 99.9% can be created.

Look at how popular adblock's becoming.

Re: Uber wants access to browsing history, bookmarks, and running apps

#135

Post by ocean3 »

StavrosK wrote: post #42

From a reddit comment: > The permissions you see on the install screen are actually triggered by various permissions in the permission group. I've checked Ubers (there's a button on the web play store and you can see it in the manifest), and the only one from the Device and App History group they actually use is "GET_TASKS", or get a list of recently opened apps. > Furthermore, on Lollipop this permission doesn't eve…

If its nothing why update the permissions at all?

Re: Uber wants access to browsing history, bookmarks, and running apps

#136

Post by dredmorbius »

manu29d wrote: post #91

Hmmm. Nobody talking about other apps that do this? Talking about Tinder[1] for example. They require "Device ID and cell information" too. [1]: https://twitter.com/manu29d/status/710883865955422208

"Et tu" comments without even bothering to search for earlier submissions aren't particularly enlightening.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11465215

From myself in the past week. I've lobbied several app devs to remove/reduce permissions. I've uninstalled others.

Android's privacy model sucks. It needs retroactive fixes. Highlighting the problems is how that gets fixed.

Re: Uber wants access to browsing history, bookmarks, and running apps

#137

Post by dredmorbius »

Google released, then withdrew, an interface for revoking and limiting application permissions. On existing Android devices. Three years ago.

We know they can do this. We also know they don't care.

The challenge is to make them care.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/12/google-removes-vital-p...

Re: Uber wants access to browsing history, bookmarks, and running apps

#138

Post by firebones »

fblp wrote: post #127

After a long break from Uber I opened it up to price compare against Lyft. I switched between the two apps and then uber offered me two free rides. It seemed like it was detecting that I was hesitating to "come back" to Uber. I use Android Lollipop and even if the permission didn't allow them to see I was using Lyft, I wouldn't be suprised if they're trying to re-engage "hesitating" users and are snooping for whateve…

Could simply be based on a campaign that kicks in after a long period of non-usage. Then again, you have the outline of a repeatable experiment here for someone with two phones and a period of Uber exile.

Re: Uber wants access to browsing history, bookmarks, and running apps

#140

Post by dates »

derFunk wrote: post #43
qihqi wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

if all they do is send the data home, you won't know what they use it for。。

If you'd find out the Uber app is sending home your browser history, this is big news already! I'm in CEST, if I wouldn't be sleeping right now I'd start up Burp, Charles or Fiddler to check.

everyone should run burp on their phone at least once! its a kinda terrifying experience seeing how much data everyone collects on you...
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