Ever Read your APP Ts&Cs? This should teach you to not Skip.

You want that app that can turn you into an old fart? Or the App that can help you slim, or to play a game to relieve the boredom of the tube or subway?

Do you download and skip passed the Ts&Cs to get to the content....

Then you need to watch this...


Shocked? You should be!

Korg.

it is pretty unreasonable though to expect everyone who wants your app to first read 2000 characters per app, few have time for that.

in an age of increasing convenience why must we make freedom of privacy more and more inconvenient?

a reply to: Korg Trinity

sheep to the slaughter , i have no sympathy for people that sign anything without reading what they are signing .

You can't actually be serious can you? I know people are paranoid and I know there's crazy BS crap hidden in TOS for all kinds of apps, accounts, etc, but if the video doesn't even show the text or the app or anything it can't be taken seriously. I've read through the TOS for a few things (emphasis on few) and never seen anything like this. I'd be interested in seeing some actual screenshots of real apps with these phrases.

Additionally, any chance that some of these TOS phrases come from apps like Text+ or similar apps? Of course they need permission to read your texts - they replace the native text app. What's shocking is that people don't think for themselves - OP included, no offense. People are so paranoid they'll believe this kind of video but never question anything. OP...there wasn't anything in this video that made you think "Hmm...I wonder why they never show the screen?".

These all appear to be on iPhones (I didn't watch the video twice to confirm). Someone show me an iPhone app with these phrases in it - particularly the "permission to record audio", "turn off airplane mode", and "modify my contacts". Otherwise I think this is just fear mongering, both by the video producers and the OP.

originally posted by: tom.farnhill
a reply to: Korg Trinity

sheep to the slaughter , i have no sympathy for people that sign anything without reading what they are signing .

Totally agree.

I do not sign up for anything that I do not fully know about.

It is shocking how blatant this invasion has become... The people responsible for the apps that include such horrific invasions of privacy rely on two factors.

A) The belief of the user that this kind of thing is either not possible or that they wouldn't do it
B) People won't read the Ts&Cs due to the length and complexity of them.

We need to change the law on this globally, any app that is requesting personal information needs to put it up in BIG BOLD TEXT across the screen, so there can be no misunderstanding.

I also think there needs to be a group who name and shame apps, making people aware of what app not to trust.

Korg.

OUR T&C of maas 360 at work says they can monitor your personal data on the phone, I brought it up and said "buy me a phone or no go" I don't work email on my phone now

This reminds me a story of a piece of software that was sold, and had a $1000.00 prize hidden in the EULA. The prize went unclaimed for over 3000 customers until ONE guy finally read the agreement and found the clause stating he could claim his prize if he e-mailed the company.

So... roughly 1 in 3000 people read the T&C's and EULA's. I'd venture to say that number is probably less. I know I don't read EULA's.

originally posted by: stolencar18
You can't actually be serious can you? I know people are paranoid and I know there's crazy BS crap hidden in TOS for all kinds of apps, accounts, etc, but if the video doesn't even show the text or the app or anything it can't be taken seriously. I've read through the TOS for a few things (emphasis on few) and never seen anything like this. I'd be interested in seeing some actual screenshots of real apps with these phrases.

Additionally, any chance that some of these TOS phrases come from apps like Text+ or similar apps? Of course they need permission to read your texts - they replace the native text app. What's shocking is that people don't think for themselves - OP included, no offense. People are so paranoid they'll believe this kind of video but never question anything. OP...there wasn't anything in this video that made you think "Hmm...I wonder why they never show the screen?".

These all appear to be on iPhones (I didn't watch the video twice to confirm). Someone show me an iPhone app with these phrases in it - particularly the "permission to record audio", "turn off airplane mode", and "modify my contacts". Otherwise I think this is just fear mongering, both by the video producers and the OP.

I only wish you were right...

Unfortunately you are not.

The Worst Apps for Privacy

Hundreds of millions of Android, iOS and Windows 8 users have downloaded the wildly popular Fruit Ninja – and like Despicable Me and Drag Racing, Fruit Ninja requests the phone's unique identity as well as access to the internet for use in targeted advertising. It takes a user's precise location apparently to show where users get free Starfruit (the game's currency), but also uses it to deliver -- you guessed it -- targeted advertising.

All three apps received a lowball grade of D from PrivacyGrade.org for the massive gap between what data users expected to be taken and what data was really taken.

“The problem is that people aren't aware that this is going on,” Hong says.

The software that makes up these apps, like many others, includes third-party libraries -- pieces of code created by ad networks or social networks that allow the app to use their services. For example, a Facebook library allows an app to use Facebook login or find a user's Facebook friends, while an ad library helps developers monetize their apps by showing ads. “Often it's the libraries that do this data taking,” Hong says. “Developers may not know what they're doing.”

Fruit Ninja uses libraries from six ad networks, while Despicable Me uses two ad libraries; Drag Racing uses three. Using the phone's unique identity, advertisers can therefore track users between any apps that use their networks.

Games the NSA really likes: Angry Birds
Advertisers aren't the only ones interested in your fruit-slicing, bird-slinging efforts. The New York Times reported that the NSA and its British equivalent, GCHQ, were targeting leaky smartphone apps including Angry Birds -- which has been downloaded over 2 billion times -- for user data such as age, gender and location. One classified 2012 British report included a code for mining profiles created when Android users play Angry Birds. Another documented that an ad company called Millennial Media worked with Angry Birds developer Rovio to create more intrusive profiles for Android and iOS versions, including additional categories such as ethnicity, marital status and sexual orientation.

Since then, President Obama has announced major reforms to the surveillance program, so our exploits with the furious fowl may be less leaky.

Over at PrivacyGrade, the Angry Birds Android app still receives a middling grade of C for using the phone's unique identity and cell number for market and customer analysis. That network access is leveraged both for app functionality and that old faithful: targeted advertising. According to Rovio's privacy policy, its iOS app does much the same.

And that is for AAA Apps.... what about the other billion apps out there?

Here is a great site for grading Apps... Looks like it's a site that has been missed by me... odd... Do you know about this?

PrivacyGrade: Grading The Privacy Of Smartphone Apps

Korg.

originally posted by: Korg Trinity

originally posted by: tom.farnhill
a reply to: Korg Trinity

sheep to the slaughter , i have no sympathy for people that sign anything without reading what they are signing .

Totally agree.

I do not sign up for anything that I do not fully know about.

It is shocking how blatant this invasion has become... The people responsible for the apps that include such horrific invasions of privacy rely on two factors.

A) The belief of the user that this kind of thing is either not possible or that they wouldn't do it
B) People won't read the Ts&Cs due to the length and complexity of them.

We need to change the law on this globally, any app that is requesting personal information needs to put it up in BIG BOLD TEXT across the screen, so there can be no misunderstanding.

I also think there needs to be a group who name and shame apps, making people aware of what app not to trust.

Korg.

I don't use Apple products, but on my Android phone each app I install has a list of accesses it requests when the app is used. This includes things like contact lists, data, microphone, speakers, basically anything the software uses or accesses it tells you right up front. Most people just click through it, I do go over that much though. If I've got some silly game app that wants to access my contact list, I give it a big NO.

originally posted by: ScientificRailgun

originally posted by: Korg Trinity

originally posted by: tom.farnhill
a reply to: Korg Trinity

sheep to the slaughter , i have no sympathy for people that sign anything without reading what they are signing .

Totally agree.

I do not sign up for anything that I do not fully know about.

It is shocking how blatant this invasion has become... The people responsible for the apps that include such horrific invasions of privacy rely on two factors.

A) The belief of the user that this kind of thing is either not possible or that they wouldn't do it
B) People won't read the Ts&Cs due to the length and complexity of them.

We need to change the law on this globally, any app that is requesting personal information needs to put it up in BIG BOLD TEXT across the screen, so there can be no misunderstanding.

I also think there needs to be a group who name and shame apps, making people aware of what app not to trust.

Korg.

I don't use Apple products, but on my Android phone each app I install has a list of accesses it requests when the app is used. This includes things like contact lists, data, microphone, speakers, basically anything the software uses or accesses it tells you right up front. Most people just click through it, I do go over that much though. If I've got some silly game app that wants to access my contact list, I give it a big NO.

I don't use Apple products either... I once tried an ipad and bounced off it's walls after just ten minutes of use.... who ever heard of needing an app to attach to an e-mail?? Geeze...

I am however a total tech head and use technology extensively... But not everyone knows how to do what they want without having to jump through these hoops and that is where the danger lies I believe.

They say knowledge is power and I think this highlights just how many people haven't a clue about how stuff actually works, when apps with such horrendous terms can be out there without any massive backlash.

Peace,

Korg.

One of the main reasons why I don't have many apps on my Android is because of the permissions most of those apps ask for. I'm in the same boat, a tech head (at least I try to keep up with it) and I'm astonished at what people are willingly allowing these app companies to collect.

originally posted by: cenpuppie
One of the main reasons why I don't have many apps on my Android is because of the permissions most of those apps ask for. I'm in the same boat, a tech head (at least I try to keep up with it) and I'm astonished at what people are willingly allowing these app companies to collect.

The lack of responses to this thread is very telling of the kind of apathy this subject has.

Do people not realize what is happening do you think?

Korg.

originally posted by: Korg Trinity

originally posted by: cenpuppie
One of the main reasons why I don't have many apps on my Android is because of the permissions most of those apps ask for. I'm in the same boat, a tech head (at least I try to keep up with it) and I'm astonished at what people are willingly allowing these app companies to collect.

The lack of responses to this thread is very telling of the kind of apathy this subject has.

Do people not realize what is happening do you think?

Korg.

It's not so much the people aren't aware they're being screwed by the T&C's. The apathy I think comes from knowing this, and willingly not caring about it. People want the newest Clash of Clans clone game, EULA's be damned.

originally posted by: ScientificRailgun

originally posted by: Korg Trinity

originally posted by: cenpuppie
One of the main reasons why I don't have many apps on my Android is because of the permissions most of those apps ask for. I'm in the same boat, a tech head (at least I try to keep up with it) and I'm astonished at what people are willingly allowing these app companies to collect.

The lack of responses to this thread is very telling of the kind of apathy this subject has.

Do people not realize what is happening do you think?

Korg.

It's not so much the people aren't aware they're being screwed by the T&C's. The apathy I think comes from knowing this, and willingly not caring about it. People want the newest Clash of Clans clone game, EULA's be damned.

It's really sad state of affairs.

Korg.

Back button is y our best friend. It allows you to skip the agreements on many apps without stopping the content. Many of my apps try to get me to agree every time I use them because I always just hit back button and it skips to the content.

a reply to: Korg Trinity

Root your phone, put in a new firmware, create a superuser account and put a good firewall on your device. Just in case, when you are traveling or not using your phone, REMOVE THE BATTERY!

The terms and conditions on some of these apps are absolutely insane! Why does Angry Birds need access to your camera and your microphone? Why do other games want access to your call logs and texts? It's none of their ef'ing business! Get rid of apps that demand too much.

Secure your devices!

Cheers - Dave

a reply to: Korg Trinity

It is true. I noticed it over the last few years! It didn't used to be this bad but new terms have been added to apps recently and that's why I stopped downloading apps to my phone.

Install DCentral 1 by John McAfee.

John McAfee's New Cognizant App Puts an End to Spying

Interview with McAfee about the dangers of app permissions.

And yeah take super user control of your phone and deny permissions to everything.

HumancentiPad...'nuff said

People read through the ATS T&C before they signed up, right? No? Didn't think so.

Now for the wave of people who say they didn't, but are obviously lying.