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Introducing Hello

newsroom.fb.com

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Re: Introducing Hello

#41

Post by MichaelGG »

untog wrote: post #14
dawson wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, they don't. EDIT: I was wrong, this is one of the permissions they require on Android, however, not on iOS as Apple doesn't make it available to third-party developers.

On Android their app asks for "read call log" permissions. Luckily, I am running on root and can disable that access, but it's certainly possible.

Almost all Android apps can do this in realtime, because to get the IMEI/device ID (a questionable thing in itself), Google decided you should also be required to have permissions to see who is calling/called.

It's a major privacy violation, with Google directly encouraging it for no good reason.

(Getting device ID should be a very rare, high-security permission; instead each app should get a unique app+deviceID. And seeing who is calling is likewise a rare thing that should be highly suspect. Or Google could add controls or do on-demand like MS and Apple do...)

Re: Introducing Hello

#42

Post by MichaelGG »

bentcorner wrote: post #36
Jemaclus wrote: post #19

What I think is fascinating about this is how front-and-center the whole "block unwanted calls" feature is. They mention it several times on this one page, when they could mention a bunch of other features instead. It goes to show how concerned people are with potentially allowing frictionless contact from mere acquaintances.

I have never needed to block a call, so I'm not the customer here. I'm curious what demographic uses call blocking so much that FB wants to advertise directly to them. Is it a problem that younger people face, or something that happens in other countries?

Buy an SSL certificate. Enjoy Comodo calling you 3 times a week, sometimes waking you up, to try to sell security. Even after telling them to stop. (Yeah, I should take it up with the FCC...)

Even more fun: point out Comodo's lapses as a CA and say they're the last CA you'd ever deal with. Then the rep smoothly segues into pitching antivirus/"security" software.

Re: Introducing Hello

#46

Post by hobarrera »

tegeek wrote: post #15

Here in Sweden we use TrueCaller [1] which is almost the same as FB Hello. It is available for Android, iOS, and WP. And pretty much cover the entire world. It will be interesting to see how TrueCaller can compete with FB Hello. 1. http://www.truecaller.com/

I don't know where their data comes from, but after putting my number, all I get is the city it's in (which the area code makes obvious anyway).

Re: Introducing Hello

#47

Post by ryanSrich »

Jemaclus wrote: post #19

What I think is fascinating about this is how front-and-center the whole "block unwanted calls" feature is. They mention it several times on this one page, when they could mention a bunch of other features instead. It goes to show how concerned people are with potentially allowing frictionless contact from mere acquaintances.

iOS already has the block caller feature. Confused why Facebook is making such a big deal about it.

Re: Introducing Hello

#48

Post by Tyr42 »

maxk42 wrote: post #35
ori_b wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nobody is forcing this on anyone. If you find it useful, install it. If you don't, then don't.

But if I don't install it then the people I call still get my information without my knowledge, don't they?

No more information than was already public on facebook, according to your privacy settings, as far as I can see.

Re: Introducing Hello

#50

Post by smackfu »

In my circle, using Facebook to connect through anything other than Facebook itself seems futile. No one has emails or phone numbers posted, even for friends.

So this app seems like it would basically do nothing.

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