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When an app asks for permissions, it should have a “feed fake data” option

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Re: When an app asks for permissions, it should have a “feed fake data” option

#401

Post by smoldesu »

kerkeslager wrote: post #400
charcircuit wrote: post #372

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Copyright is entirely arbitrary Even if copyright wasn't a thing some creators do not want their work to be copied. >And my kitchen knives by default make it way too easy to violate homicide law If kitchen knives were made impossible to use for homicide, but could be made for the same exact price in the same amount of time and were just as effective at everything else there would be no reason for people to sell homi…

> If kitchen knives were made impossible to use for homicide, but could be made for the same exact price in the same amount of time and were just as effective at everything else there would be no reason for people to sell homicide capable knives. If content were made impossible to pirate, but could be made for the same exact price in the same amount of time and were just as effective at everything else there would be…

To add to that:

We cannot create homicide-resistant knives because it is indistinguishable from lawful slaughter and butchering knives. Similarly, computers have a powerful native feature - the ability to infinitely copy digital content until you run out of storage or electricity. This can be used for legal and nonlegal purposes, but neutering it's capabilities is unthinkable.

Copy protection tries to put the genie back in the bottle, and then blames the community when things go wrong. It's a circular process that resists advancement and protects exploitative parties.

Re: When an app asks for permissions, it should have a “feed fake data” option

#402

Post by janaagaard »

I'm sorry, but I really don't hope this catches on. Fair that you don't want to share your data, and yeah, a Flashlight app should not need access to list of contacts, but please don't mess it up the data for us developers.

Example: We use information about the devices that access our web site (screen resolution, browser versions) to figure out how best spend our limited resources. This data is important to us.

Re: When an app asks for permissions, it should have a “feed fake data” option

#403

Post by macintosh-hd »

kubik369 wrote: post #206

I am surprised no top comment mentions this — on iOS, you cannot distinguish if you were granted a permission or not. As an example, if an app asks you for access to your photos, it will always get an array. The trick is that when you deny this permission, the array will be empty, so you cannot know if the user simply has an empty library or if he denied you access. I like it, simple and elegant. Naturally, in the ca…

This is obviously untrue and can be seen by almost any app that asks for notification access.

Re: When an app asks for permissions, it should have a “feed fake data” option

#404

Post by lldb »

crazygringo wrote: post #301
lldb wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Worst offender is google photos on iOS - you can’t even open the app without giving it all photos access. Selected photos doesn’t count. Even just to view photos already saved in the cloud.

That's incorrect, I just tried it on iOS. When you open it, it defaults to the "Photos" tab which has a message (not a dialog) asking for all photos access. But if you switch to any other tab (like Search or Library) you've got access to all of your photos in the cloud. On the one hand you wouldn't realize that if you never tried tapping another tab. But on the other hand, the main "Photos" tab is designed to access…

Just checked and it appears they’ve fixed this. For years it would occupy the entire screen and not permit accessing any other tabs. (You can find threads from last year discussing this).

However they still don’t offer a way to upload specific photos, and if you attempt to share only selected photos in the ios settings app they detect that this isn’t all photos.

Re: When an app asks for permissions, it should have a “feed fake data” option

#406

Post by theu »

crazygringo wrote: post #301
lldb wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Worst offender is google photos on iOS - you can’t even open the app without giving it all photos access. Selected photos doesn’t count. Even just to view photos already saved in the cloud.

That's incorrect, I just tried it on iOS. When you open it, it defaults to the "Photos" tab which has a message (not a dialog) asking for all photos access. But if you switch to any other tab (like Search or Library) you've got access to all of your photos in the cloud. On the one hand you wouldn't realize that if you never tried tapping another tab. But on the other hand, the main "Photos" tab is designed to access…

Those tabs are new as of a few months ago.

Here's a screenshot [1] showing how the permissions prompt originally blocked you from navigating to the other tabs, and some additional reports of the issue [2] [3]. What's worse is that very old versions of the app worked fine in view-only mode without these invasive permissions demands, but then Google decided to update the app to be completely useless unless you surrendered all your photos.

I'm surprised Apple allowed the app on their store for over a year, with what appeared to be a clear violation of their policies.

[1] https://imgur.com/a/l2sErQQ

[2] https://support.google.com/photos/thread/1939628/use-ios-goo...

[3] https://old.reddit.com/r/googlephotos/comments/rhoyb1/google...

Re: When an app asks for permissions, it should have a “feed fake data” option

#407

Post by josephcsible »

theu wrote: post #406
crazygringo wrote: post #301

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's incorrect, I just tried it on iOS. When you open it, it defaults to the "Photos" tab which has a message (not a dialog) asking for all photos access. But if you switch to any other tab (like Search or Library) you've got access to all of your photos in the cloud. On the one hand you wouldn't realize that if you never tried tapping another tab. But on the other hand, the main "Photos" tab is designed to access…

Those tabs are new as of a few months ago. Here's a screenshot [1] showing how the permissions prompt originally blocked you from navigating to the other tabs, and some additional reports of the issue [2] [3]. What's worse is that very old versions of the app worked fine in view-only mode without these invasive permissions demands, but then Google decided to update the app to be completely useless unless you surrende…

This shouldn't have even been possible. iOS should have never given apps a way to tell whether they've been denied permissions to any photos. From their perspective, it should just look like you don't have any photos if you deny them all.

Re: When an app asks for permissions, it should have a “feed fake data” option

#408

Post by m463 »

ryandrake wrote: post #27

I’m all for the “fake data” idea, but also: Apps should be required to gracefully handle the cases where users deny permission to access real data. I know last time I developed for iOS, it was Apple’s policy that apps cannot punish users or exit() the app in retaliation for them denying a permission. Apps must gracefully handle it and continue running. Also, and this was even longer ago, apps could not require users…

I wish I could use apple products without an account. But an apple id is required for running apps, because you can only get and install apps through the app store.

I would like the equivalent of a "de-google'd android phone" on ios.

Re: When an app asks for permissions, it should have a “feed fake data” option

#409

Post by johnnyanmac »

grishka wrote: post #226
wruza wrote: post #179

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So you and me have both worlds to choose from (not gonna reiterate pros/cons hundredth time). You are living in yours, but I have to lose mine. By me I mean all those people who chose Apple for what it is and ignore Android for what it is, with regards to what we’re talking about. You have no real problem, only intrusive ideology. Please relax and leave us alone. We’ll speak for ourselves when we feel wronged.

As an app developer, I do have a very real problem. I don't want Apple to impose their agenda on me and act like they own the relationship between me and my users. In particular, Apple should have no opinion on what kind of UGC my app contains if it's rated 18+. Apple should also stop protecting their own products by rejecting apps that cut into their market. But of course, Apple would do none of these things volunta…

>I don't want Apple to impose their agenda on me and act like they own the relationship between me and my users.

That will be solved if/when they need to allow alternate App stores. But even then, The App store is Apple's own store, right? They make their own rules on what's allowed or no on their store.

I have no issues with them controlling their store (as an android user, Google does the same despite having much less care). I'm just glad they are seemingly being forced to open up for stores that want different rules.

Re: When an app asks for permissions, it should have a “feed fake data” option

#410

Post by johnnyanmac »

idle_zealot wrote: post #269
plorkyeran wrote: post #247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, you can't choose to only install apps exclusively from the app store on macOS because the macOS app store is a barren wasteland. The MAS makes it very clear that the only reason app developers put up with the iOS app store restrictions is because they have no choice.

The Mac is from a different time and has a very different user base than phones. By your argument the Play Store on Android makes it clear that the reason app developers put up with app stores is because of user patterns. On phones users are used to getting apps from the built-in store, so that's where they look for apps. Trying to sell an app via a website and APK download just doesn't work; users don't bite. There…

> By your argument the Play Store on Android makes it clear that the reason app developers put up with app stores is because of user patterns

that is correct. If android users were more willing to use alternate stores, Google would have less control.

That said, I do enjoy being able to sideload apps with no hassle. Google may not allow 18+ apps or some emulators but I can find those no problem.

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