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Facebook Android app sends phone number to Facebook servers without consent

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Re: Facebook Android app sends phone number to Facebook servers without consent

#81

Post by stfsbrb »

onedev wrote: post #78
grbalaffa wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In case anyone doubts the reality of this quote: http://gawker.com/5636765/facebook-ceo-admits-to-calling-use...

It's wildly taken out of context. He said it when he was 19 (!!) in regards to a web form he made where people submitted their emails, phone numbers, and social security numbers with nothing else besides that form. The users were indeed stupid as shit in that situation. I'd also like to remind you that he's 29 now and running one of the most successful companies in the world. If you think he hasn't learned something…

Nice try, Zuckerberg.

Re: Facebook Android app sends phone number to Facebook servers without consent

#82

Post by onedev »

stfsbrb wrote: post #81
onedev wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's wildly taken out of context. He said it when he was 19 (!!) in regards to a web form he made where people submitted their emails, phone numbers, and social security numbers with nothing else besides that form. The users were indeed stupid as shit in that situation. I'd also like to remind you that he's 29 now and running one of the most successful companies in the world. If you think he hasn't learned something…

Nice try, Zuckerberg.

This isn't Reddit. If you can't have intelligent, thoughtful discussion. Go away and never comment.

You added literally nothing to this conversation.

Re: Facebook Android app sends phone number to Facebook servers without consent

#83

Post by pbsdp »

Livven wrote: post #42
andymcsherry wrote: post #21

This is pretty standard in Android apps for analytics tracking to use the phone number, IMEI or other values. A while back, a few production phones shipped where Settings.Secure.ANDROID_ID returned invalid values (null, the same value for all devices of that model, etc). This is the reason that most apps you come across ask for the READ_PHONE_STATE permission.

Thanks for mentioning this. It's always annoying when stuff like this is taken out of context and reinterpreted by people who don't have intimate knowledge about the topic, resulting in the kind of useless knee-jerk reactions seen in this comment thread. If you told the average web-using person that whenever they visit google.com Google gets to know which internet provider you use and from which country, possibly eve…

> ... they'd probably freak out thinking it was some evil Google scheme to mine data when in fact, all that is simply a byproduct of any reasonable logging or analytics solution that is not special to Google at all.

If that's true -- that an objective reasonable observer would think those things -- perhaps that's indicative of analytics being of questionable ethical standing.

After all, they enable the massive centralization of extremely far reaching user data, voluntarily submitted by both applications and websites to centralized data brokers -- such as Google -- who are not only positioned to build enormous commercial profiles of users, but also to (be compelled to) give or sell those profiles to government(s).

Re: Facebook Android app sends phone number to Facebook servers without consent

#85

Post by hnha »

sinnerswing wrote: post #51
guelo wrote: post #33

Android's take-it-or-leaveit install-time permission model sucks. I just counted 32 permissions for the Facebook app. When the user goes to install the app they are supposed to review that long list and decide if they are going to take it or leave it. The reality is most users have no idea what they're being asked and just hit Accept. Which means for most practical purposes there is no permission security. Much bette…

Perfect timing. saw this article 2 days ago: "Android malware up 614%. Android Home to 92% of Mobile Market's Malware" http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/06/26/android_malware_bloo...

"Android running on 92% of phones"

Re: Facebook Android app sends phone number to Facebook servers without consent

#86

Post by Heliosmaster »

interpol_p wrote: post #73
andymcsherry wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The description is PHONE CALLS READ PHONE STATUS AND IDENTITY Allows the app to access the phone features of the device. This permission allows the app to determine the phone number and device IDs, whether a call is active, and the remote number connected by a call.

I am sure that most users will not even read/understand that description. If the user puts some effort into parsing it, they will understand it and what it means for their privacy. But most people will not put that much effort into installing an app. Despite being perfectly clear to you and I, it is wrong to ask for these permissions at install time. Imagine if every time you visited a web site you were given a list…

Sorry, but if people can't read and understand that description, I am not so sure they should be using a smartphone.

Re: Facebook Android app sends phone number to Facebook servers without consent

#87

Post by ferdo »

onedev wrote: post #78
grbalaffa wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In case anyone doubts the reality of this quote: http://gawker.com/5636765/facebook-ceo-admits-to-calling-use...

It's wildly taken out of context. He said it when he was 19 (!!) in regards to a web form he made where people submitted their emails, phone numbers, and social security numbers with nothing else besides that form. The users were indeed stupid as shit in that situation. I'd also like to remind you that he's 29 now and running one of the most successful companies in the world. If you think he hasn't learned something…

> If you think he hasn't learned something in the span of 10 years

He's learned to keep his little narcissistic mouth shut.

Re: Facebook Android app sends phone number to Facebook servers without consent

#88

Post by Zigurd »

guelo wrote: post #33

Android's take-it-or-leaveit install-time permission model sucks. I just counted 32 permissions for the Facebook app. When the user goes to install the app they are supposed to review that long list and decide if they are going to take it or leave it. The reality is most users have no idea what they're being asked and just hit Accept. Which means for most practical purposes there is no permission security. Much bette…

Google _could_ fix this by requiring SecurityException to be handled.

1. Enable the user to select "a la carte" permissions on a per-app basis.

2. The user selectively turn off permissions, e.g. I WANT my flashlight app to throw an unhandled exception when it tries to get my location.

3. Require exception handling for missing permissions in new versions.

The burden for developers is low, especially in the cases of gratuitous permissions.

There are some cases, like address book apps that require access to the Contacts provider where a permission could make an app's functionality a nullity, but I think the everyday user is OK with seeing a crash dialog if a crappy app with obnoxious permissions craps out.

In the case of a high-value app like Facebook, Facebook would be motivated to explain permissions and provide exception handling that preserves as much functionality as possible.

If app compatibility becomes an issue, "nerfed" results instead of thrown exceptions could be used to trick apps into accepting fake data.

By combining options, notifications to the user, the use of SecurityException, and changes to exception handling requirements, Google could readily retrofit fine-grained user-controlled permissions to Android.

Re: Facebook Android app sends phone number to Facebook servers without consent

#89

Post by snom380 »

nivla wrote: post #54

I thought this was a known fact. Isn't there numerous articles were people were surprised how Facebook knew and was recommending their dentist/plumber/clients to be added? Towards the end it turned out to be from the contact list uploaded from the user's phone. I am not going to say to avoid FB, but if you really want it on the phone, please use a non-official version for privacy sake. Atleast on android, they are le…

Not only that, it seems they will match your phone number if any of your friends upload their contact list to Facebook.

Re: Facebook Android app sends phone number to Facebook servers without consent

#90

Post by sinnerswing »

hnha wrote: post #85
sinnerswing wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perfect timing. saw this article 2 days ago: "Android malware up 614%. Android Home to 92% of Mobile Market's Malware" http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/06/26/android_malware_bloo...

"Android running on 92% of phones"

"Android Home to 92% of Mobile Market's Malware"

http://hothardware.com/News/Android-Home-to-92-of-Mobile-Mar...

http://android-jellybean.com/2013/06/android-home-to-92-of-m...

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