Path uploads your entire iPhone address book to its servers
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Re: Path uploads your entire iPhone address book to its servers
#2This is actually nothing new. A lot of apps have been doing this for a very long time. However, it is one of the best kept secrets in our space. I kind of have a feeling no one talks about it because they don't want word to get out. Can you imagine the scandal if this made it on the front page of CNN or Drudge?
Ever since I learned this was possible, I've been very careful about which apps I download, and actually have downloaded very few since, as a result. There are a lot of random iPhone developers that I really don't think need to have access to my entire contact list.
Re: Path uploads your entire iPhone address book to its servers
#3Anyone know if they have an Android app? Does that share this feature?
Re: Path uploads your entire iPhone address book to its servers
#4This is actually nothing new. A lot of apps have been doing this for a very long time. However, it is one of the best kept secrets in our space. I kind of have a feeling no one talks about it because they don't want word to get out. Can you imagine the scandal if this made it on the front page of CNN or Drudge? Ever since I learned this was possible, I've been very careful about which apps I download, and actually ha…
If no explicit permission is given by the user, how is this practice not illegal?
Re: Path uploads your entire iPhone address book to its servers
#5Anyone know if they have an Android app? Does that share this feature?
Android asks for your permission on what information you want to give the app. iOS just simply gives it whatever it asks for, without asking you first.
Re: Path uploads your entire iPhone address book to its servers
#6I think this is Apple's problem really. Path is just one of many apps that probably do this without asking you.
Ideally the OS should prompt you if an app wants access to your address book, just like it does for location.
Re: Path uploads your entire iPhone address book to its servers
#7You'd think people would learn. I mean, this is the original scandalous practice in mobile apps. See this from 2008:
http://gizmodo.com/5028459/aurora-feint-iphone-app-delisted-...
Re: Path uploads your entire iPhone address book to its servers
#8Anyone know if they have an Android app? Does that share this feature?
Android asks for your permission on what information you want to give the app. iOS just simply gives it whatever it asks for, without asking you first.
Interesting. What else can an iOS app get access to without permission? location? browser history? other installed apps list? emails? notes? pics? vids? music list? podcast list? itunes username?
Re: Path uploads your entire iPhone address book to its servers
#9Honest question: Isn't this within the kind of behavior that AppStore reviews are supposed to prevent, at least if there isn't an app specific functional explanation for it? Does Apple have a list of what kind of behavior like this is tolerated or does word just get out about what they don't reject?
Re: Path uploads your entire iPhone address book to its servers
#10So I download an IM app that automatically finds your friends based on your phone directory. I launch it and scrolling through my friend's list I see my mom. Some contacts later, I see the real name of the hooker. Both my mom and the real hooker are on this IM platform...just a click away from chatting with me under the same identity. This can be more than creepy, fortunately this is a made up example ;)
I thought about this with whatsapp. This is scary because while we are used to having multiple emails for different parts of our lives, juggling multiple phone numbers is still a chore despite services like google voice.