Uber wants access to browsing history, bookmarks, and running apps • Hacker News Board

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

#191

Post by dlitz » Sun, Apr 17, 2016, 9:29 AM UTC

taneq wrote: post #167

tadfisher wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It wasn't always this way. The individual permissions used to be displayed to the user directly; newer releases of the Play Store have "streamlined" this permissions prompt so that users see general permissions "groups", and some permissions (such as INTERNET) are considered "not dangerous", requiring a click on the "See all permissions" button to view everything the app requests. I imagine it's because Google recogn…

> I imagine it's because Google recognized the general insanity of the system, and presenting fewer "scary" permissions improved conversion rates. Because the way to fix "apps can demand a laundry list of permissions and users can only take it or leave it" is to sweep it under the rug? A sane way to do it would be the way browsers deal with location data: "App [appname] is requesting permission to access [resource].…

That's how it works in Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) and above.

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

#192

Post by slight » Sun, Apr 17, 2016, 10:07 AM UTC

ikt wrote: post #187

losvedir wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But once it's granted, the app can auto-update in the future and use more of that permission set. I don't think I've changed my settings from the default and for me at least (Nexus 5, Lollipop) if an app has the same permissions set, it will update automatically, if it requests more it will prompt me to agree. So even if the use of the permissions is innocuous now , it's bad news for the future to grant it.

> I don't think I've changed my settings from the default and for me at least (Nexus 5, Lollipop) If you have a nexus 5 why aren't you on marshmallow?

Not OP but I found Lollipop pretty laggy and that it didn't add much I wanted, most of Google's updates come via Play now anyway. So also no reason to upgrade to Marshmallow either.

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

#193

Post by dingo_bat » Sun, Apr 17, 2016, 10:09 AM UTC

swiley wrote: post #23

electic wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think that will solve this particular problem. It wan't your browsing history from the device. What we desperately need is a UL for privacy. Just like UL tests electronics, we need a lab to test these apps for what data they access and how they make use of that data. Then assign a score so consumers can chose not to use services that request unnecessary permissions and misuse your data.

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.

Exactly. I don't get why there is no root account on most android phones. Why is "rooting" a hack that voids your warranty? Why can't we have our smartphones like our computers?

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

#194

Post by sangnoir » Sun, Apr 17, 2016, 10:10 AM UTC

bkjelden wrote: post #155

jagger27 wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Why make a network call if the device can give you that information locally?

Because Uber's primary functionality depends on network calls.

To me, it's pretty obvious they want to find out if you opened the Lyft app recently.

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

#195

Post by hk__2 » Sun, Apr 17, 2016, 10:13 AM UTC

andrewstuart2 wrote: post #148

alanh wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please don’t state speculation as fact.

What makes you think they don't/didn't work for Uber? Seems a bit speculative to me.

OP should provide a source for their statement. But if you want to go this way, their LinkedIn profile shows they never worked for Uber.

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

#196

Post by sangnoir » Sun, Apr 17, 2016, 10:20 AM UTC

lorenzhs wrote: post #171

fullshark wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or some people on HN work for Uber, a near certainty given the company's size.

In that case, the established, respected and ethical way is to state that affiliation in the comment.

Uber are mold-breakers who are well known for 'disrupting' "the established, respected and ethical way" of doing X.

They are simply revolutionizing the old-fashioned and corrupt HN commenting industry.

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

#197

Post by tonfa » Sun, Apr 17, 2016, 10:30 AM UTC

slight wrote: post #192

ikt wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't think I've changed my settings from the default and for me at least (Nexus 5, Lollipop) If you have a nexus 5 why aren't you on marshmallow?

Not OP but I found Lollipop pretty laggy and that it didn't add much I wanted, most of Google's updates come via Play now anyway. So also no reason to upgrade to Marshmallow either.

There are many security issues fixed in OTAs.

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

#198

Post by ross-life » Sun, Apr 17, 2016, 10:31 AM UTC

nindalf wrote: post #179

ross-life wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Can someone shed light on this? Whoever is in charge of the permission system is absolutely nuts. Or it's designed by the committee from hell. Those are the only reasons I can think of. No one sane would create this. They actually wanted to "simplify" the permissions system and let the user have more control/understanding. You could argue they've done the first... at the expense of everything else. Half of it seems…

On the internet permission - its a difficult business decision for Google to allow users to restrict the Internet permission. If they did, every ad-supported app would overnight become an ad-free app.

On one hand: That's a really good point. Thanks.

On the other hand: Everything can now steal my data "just" so adverts can be shown. Really?!

To me that's more outrageous than the original points I listed. My device and my data are left permanently insecure, all to protect their adverts. Even though I purposefully don't use applications with in-built advertising (because they can't be trusted with permissions), I can't easily turn this off.

This really makes my phone suddenly feel like "A rented device who's main purpose is to deliver advertisements to me" instead of "Owned device that helps me managed my life and communicate".

> its a difficult business decision for Google

It's a really easy business decision: User security, user privacy and user control are king. If each application wants to tie "functionality working" along with "internet access" and "advert was displayed" than each application can implement that for themselves. It's not hard.

That this is all baked into the actual OS instead with no (easy/toggle) method of user override is nuts.

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

#199

Post by anowlcalledjosh » Sun, Apr 17, 2016, 10:45 AM UTC

slight wrote: post #192

ikt wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't think I've changed my settings from the default and for me at least (Nexus 5, Lollipop) If you have a nexus 5 why aren't you on marshmallow?

Not OP but I found Lollipop pretty laggy and that it didn't add much I wanted, most of Google's updates come via Play now anyway. So also no reason to upgrade to Marshmallow either.

Marshmallow fixed many of the issues in Lollipop, plus you get security updates.

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

#200

Post by anowlcalledjosh » Sun, Apr 17, 2016, 10:48 AM UTC

dlitz wrote: post #191

taneq wrote: post #167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I imagine it's because Google recognized the general insanity of the system, and presenting fewer "scary" permissions improved conversion rates. Because the way to fix "apps can demand a laundry list of permissions and users can only take it or leave it" is to sweep it under the rug? A sane way to do it would be the way browsers deal with location data: "App [appname] is requesting permission to access [resource].…

That's how it works in Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) and above.

Kind of, but you still get the situation where an app wants to get your IMEI to identify the device, but is forced to ask for permission to 'phone', which the user promptly denies because that also allows the app to make phone calls.