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Facebook can now read your texts

tony.calileo.com

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Re: Facebook can now read your texts

#74
1. This has been a thing for quite a while now, there have been numerous articles about this. This is nothing new, although it may have not rolled out to all users.

2. Facebook gives explanation of all the permissions they need, including read SMS one, here: https://www.facebook.com/help/210676372433246

3. This is more android permission issue than specifically Facebook app one. Facebook, in order to implement automatic confirmation, didn't really have a choice.

And fwiw, I use the app daily and I've had this update for at least a month and the read sms permission was never used according to various privacy tools which allow you to see, disable and view usage history of app permissions.

Until facebook starts abusing this feature/permission I don't think it's really an issue like most articles about this make it look like.

Re: Facebook can now read your texts

#75

Is there any recourse short of "don't use the app" that regular users have against this sort of thing? Is there no meaningful way to push back against Facebook for demanding this permission?

Shame on Google for not allowing users to take better control over their apps and privacy. They almost did it in Android 4.3, and then took it back in 4.4, when they realized people might actually use it.

Re: Facebook can now read your texts

#76
post #62
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

use cyanogenmod + privacy mode, you can disable what the app can do. for example, you can disable that. app still works, it just gets an empty sms list.

This feature is nowadays called Privacy Guard and it works so well that I have it on by default for all apps. With the exception of apps that actually need to read my contacts (say WhatsApp), I have not had to disable it for any applications and haven't seen any complications. For example Facebook and Twitter apps, which require a whole rainbow of permissions, function just the way they used to. I've never made a lot…

I haven't got round to rooting my droid yet, but my plan is to always tell facebook/twitter/google+ that my current position is directly under the moon/iss/some other satilite. Or maybe I'll trace out "Hello FB" on the Atlantic ocean.

Re: Facebook can now read your texts

#77

Is there any recourse short of "don't use the app" that regular users have against this sort of thing? Is there no meaningful way to push back against Facebook for demanding this permission?

Shame on Google for not allowing users to take better control over their apps and privacy. They almost did it in Android 4.3, and then took it back in 4.4, when they realized people might actually use it.

Or, you know, because it was 1) a hidden debugging menu and 2) lacking functionally.

Re: Facebook can now read your texts

#79

Is there any recourse short of "don't use the app" that regular users have against this sort of thing? Is there no meaningful way to push back against Facebook for demanding this permission?

> Is there no meaningful way to push back against Facebook for demanding this permission?

I think "not using the app" is the most meaningful way, really.

Alternatively, spoof its private data hose and flood Facebook with garbage data, but I presume that's illegal.

Re: Facebook can now read your texts

#80
post #74

1. This has been a thing for quite a while now, there have been numerous articles about this. This is nothing new, although it may have not rolled out to all users. 2. Facebook gives explanation of all the permissions they need, including read SMS one, here: https://www.facebook.com/help/210676372433246 3. This is more android permission issue than specifically Facebook app one. Facebook, in order to implement automa…

Why not just disable the feature if you want to deny it? Seems like a pretty shit feature if you ask me.
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