cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
1

Ask

2

Reply

3

Solution

Android OS scary app

dazm33
4: Newbie

Hi there,I was checking something the other day and stumbled upon something that gave me some concern, In Kit Kat 4.4.4 and maybe other Android OS there is google play services app, This app as you will know is within the OS and to delete it would render most of your device dead, Going through permissions is a new addition and it says "NEW : directly call phone numbers, it then says "allows the app to call phone numbers without your intervention this may result in unexpected charges or calls" Now you dont have to be a rocket scientist to work out that your handset is not under your control, It also says "this app can take photos and video including using the microphone without your knowledge" There were others but would take e ages to list now what do people think of this? I have already contacted Vodafone, Tesco Mobile and Mobile Choice about this issue and all have returned the feedback as "shocking" I have since contacted Google but as yet have not responded, If your still unshure please go into settings on your android device including tablets and have a look, Thanks for reading and BYE to android so far as im concerned

29 REPLIES 29

thesoupdragon
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

This might be an interesting read for you?

 

Scary Application Permissions and What they mean

 

Wink.gif

This is the exact wording : "Allows the app to call phone numbers without your intervention This may result in unexpected charges or calls", Now the article I have just read says the app needs to make phone calls under your control in directly thats what its saying and there will be some things it will need the dialer for but look at what it says "without your intervention" without your knowledge without you ever knowing is this under your control? of course its not, Now to be honest nothing has happened unexpected so far whilst using the Moto E on pay and go but then this is a new addition and expecting issues in the near future, I will be doing my own article on a very popular website in depth soon, Google have gone a step to far with this and they need to take this permission off or be open about what it can and what it cant do 

jeffkinn
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

Mountains and molehills come to mind.

 

I recall when Apple first introduced Facetime to iOS. Did they tell anyone that Facetime sends text messages when it's activated? No of course they didn't and it caused quite a lot of consternation at the time.

 

On the opposite side of the fence we have Android that could not be clearer or more upfront about it's permissions and which never makes a call or sends a text on its own, as you yourself have said.

 

I know which OS I'd trust more.

Jeffkinn_Sig.png

MobileNinja
13: Advanced Member
If random phone calls were being made by Google, I'm sure there'd be a massive outcry.

I've worked for various mobile phone companies and manufacturers for a long time. I've never seen or heard of someone having an unexpected phone call being made by a Google service, or any other app for that matter.

If I've helped you, please click Thanks

 

Here is what Google said on this

This permission lets them charge you for a app via the play store via your mobile number

they will be makeing a amenment to this soon as app developers have asked if this can be pointed out to customers

but it was added as this was the only permissions that had about this

but well spotted

 


Voxpop13
4: Newbie
The list of permissions that an app can demand are, indeed, very scary and it's always worth reviewing them and ask yourself why an app that does not require any data should want 'full internet access', to 'send sms messages' or 'view network state'. I once downloaded an app that was essentially just a pdf, but was demanding a lot of entirely inappropriate. I deleted it and left a comment in the review section.

Nabs
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

I think the whole permissions system in Android does need an overhaul, many of the messages given by the system to end users are not precise enough as to what functionality an app will actually have access to. In a lot of cases the app may require permission to an entire area of the phone that you don't want to give it however it's only one very specific thing that it's doing. 
Best example I can think of just now is Facebook. It's currently wanting me to update it and give it full access to my calendar which for obvious reasons I don't want it do. Now I know it just want to add my friends birthdays to my phones calendar but the permission still says it wants full read/write access which i'm not propared to give it.

Sense is starting to shine through well done people You didnt fail me after wat is a serious issue with Google Android platform that simply cannot be ignored just because you have just entered into a massive 2 year slog with a company who signal is as bad as 3 and a company that has still not payed its taxes to boot cannot even give its long term customers any real discount on an upgrade, I am very concerned at how much information about us all Google is getting and this useless preumtious evil government we have at this time needs to be looking at Googles activitys more closer Thanks to all that have commented on this subject 

drey_p
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member
The fact that Vodafone haven't paid tax is a load of nonsense that has been sensationalised by the press and covered ad infinitum. Of course they pay tax .... They pay VAT, they pay NI, they pay PAYE and corporation tax.

PWIAC

Great so can you show us this evidence? Media do not lie although sometimes get it wrong and often some editors will make a story bigger to sell more papers, I have not seen any evidence in any media that Vodafone as payed the "full" amount of its taxes