I'm really disappointed, seems like my next phone won't carry Android!
App opps worked great for me and help alleviate some worries about tracking. I could also see which apps actually used their claimed Android features. Many of them claim to use location yet never access it.
Google Removes Vital Privacy Feature From Android, Claims Release Was Accidental
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Re: Google Removes Vital Privacy Feature From Android, Claims Release Was Accidental
#22Earlier quoted context omitted.
The changed block feature on Twitter didn't do anything negative for privacy.
It took away users' ability to block other users from viewing their tweets? How is that not privacy?
They never had that ability (besides making their tweets private, but that's not what blocking is). Blocked users can just log out or log in under an alternate account in order to view the person's tweets.
Re: Google Removes Vital Privacy Feature From Android, Claims Release Was Accidental
#23If you have root you can still enable it with market apps.[0][1] However something like this needs to be integrated tightly like iOS and apps need to be aware they may not receive requested permissions. I still use App Ops in Kit Kat and it silently breaks apps all the time. Apps expect to be able request information (e.g. contact details) and crash or stall when they can't. In that respect, LBE Privacy Guard[2] was…
here's a translated version that i've been using this up to 4.3.(haven't updated my nexus phone to kitkat and am not planning to either)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1422479
although i think this might also be working in kitkat. what i can recommend to users though is to use pdroid if they wish to do so. so you could use lbe for all apps. and pdroid for lbe itself. a lot of jelly bean custom roms support openpdroid. i personally use cyankang
Re: Google Removes Vital Privacy Feature From Android, Claims Release Was Accidental
#24I'm probably going to turn in to that old guy with tin foil who can't play any games because nobody supports his choice of platform, but I really miss when computers were devices you could buy and then put your choice of OS on. Phones are pretty much just little ARM computers, why the hell don't I just install Ubuntu, Firefox OS, Android, WinPhone, Symbian, whatever? I could format a microSD card to boot from and go from there.
And while I'm complaining, phones (devices for communication, remember?) need proper keyboards.
OK. I'll crawl back into my cave now.
Re: Google Removes Vital Privacy Feature From Android, Claims Release Was Accidental
#25I'm probably going to turn in to that old guy with tin foil who can't play any games because nobody supports his choice of platform, but I really miss when computers were devices you could buy and then put your choice of OS on. Phones are pretty much just little ARM computers, why the hell don't I just install Ubuntu, Firefox OS, Android, WinPhone, Symbian, whatever? I could format a microSD card to boot from and go…
Why not? I installed Ubuntu the other day, it was trivial. Plus, there's a multitude of custom ROMs.
Re: Google Removes Vital Privacy Feature From Android, Claims Release Was Accidental
#26[deleted]
Re: Google Removes Vital Privacy Feature From Android, Claims Release Was Accidental
#27Re: Google Removes Vital Privacy Feature From Android, Claims Release Was Accidental
#28Earlier quoted context omitted.
It took away users' ability to block other users from viewing their tweets? How is that not privacy?
They never had that ability (besides making their tweets private, but that's not what blocking is). Blocked users can just log out or log in under an alternate account in order to view the person's tweets.
You just used the term "making their tweets private". If we can't agree this constitutes a privacy feature - however small in scope - I think we'll just have to agree to disagree. :)
Re: Google Removes Vital Privacy Feature From Android, Claims Release Was Accidental
#29I don't understand this from the EFF first they post a piece lauding an unofficial, deeply buried unannounced functionality, then they condemn Google for removing something that they have never officially released or supported in the first place.
It’s their mistake for jumping the gun and discussing something that wasn't officially, the followup is just to save face, but that is really an unfair attack.
Re: Google Removes Vital Privacy Feature From Android, Claims Release Was Accidental
#30> When asked for comment, Google told us that the feature had only ever been released by accident — that it was experimental, and that it could break some of the apps policed by it. Oh, it would definitely break some apps. Considering it would introduce new uncertainty. It's still an amazing feature.
Yeah, because checking return codes and error values is overrated Thanks Google, for making my phone less secure .
It was never official, it was never announced nor documented.