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Smartphone users give total access to spying apps

Published time: February 26, 2012 20:03
Edited time: February 27, 2012 00:03
Smartphone users give total access to spying apps

Every time you use your smartphone app your personal information – emails, phone numbers and even photos – is sent off to dozens of Internet companies all over the world. And you are the one who is allowing them access.

­Most users are aware that Internet companies like to collect information on their clients so that they can target their adverts better. But the sheer extent of their spying is shocking. And it’s all buried in the small print of the license agreement few bother to read. Often the information collected has nothing to do with function of the application.

Despite being a social network, Facebook reads your text messages, while photo application Flickr raids your contact book. In turn, video portal Youtube can access and download all of the users’ photographs.

While it is bigger companies that get flak for the privacy policies, at least they are usually careful not to lose or sell their users’ private information. For less reputable outfits, this may not be a concern.

Chris Brauer, co-director of the Centre for Creative and Social Technology at Goldsmiths, University of London, told the Sunday Times many apps are mere “fronts” for data mining companies. Their main source of profit is selling personal information to advertisers.

Once the information passes down the chain, it is almost impossible to trace who will end up with it leaving smartphone owners open to anything from unsolicited advertising to identity theft.

While iPhone maker Apple at least tries to bind its application programmers with a common license agreement, according to Nick Pickles, director of privacy and civil liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch, Android phone owners leave themselves in the greatest danger.

“Google’s name lends credibility to the Android market place, when in reality it is an unregulated Wild West with hugely intrusive applications being touted as innocent games,” he says.

Pickles points out that customer protection regulation lags years behind in a market that changes beyond recognition from year to year.

But even the most stringent regulation will not save users who voluntarily sign up to give away their most private data.

Comments (9)

Canadian (unregistered) 02.03.2012 22:59

Thank You A.Smith  

+1

Undo

A.Smith 01.03.2012 04:33

As uncovered by the enormous Carrier-IQ fiasco which  was a U.S. National Security Tool, the evil Zionist infested U.S. Government are actively waging War on American's Liberty's, Freedoms and Personal Privacy's.

Ev il Zionists that stole Trillions of Dollars have yet to spend a single day in prison. Israeli officials whom the U.N. have collected large amounts of evidence of war crimes and human rights abuses have yet to even be charged in the world courts.

Tools to uncover Israeli device chips collecting user data and sending that to remote global data servers as well as rootkits and app trojan's that do the same should be widely available by nations and programmers that you trust.

The xyz jackal agency's are relying on the Western Sheep not being able to sniff out and determine the hacks, wiretaps and invasive GPS tracking devices they are using on Western citizens.

Use free open-source heavy duty encryption found at TrueCrypt.org with a reasonably strong passphrase, a .mp3 token file and Serpent or 3Fish encryption (preferably both) to stick it to xyz agency's trying to comb thru your device information.

Use SSL (Secure Socket Layers Encrypted Connections) whenever possible and REMEMBER:

Unl ess you internally switch off your Geo location tagging, all your video's, photos, emails are tagged with your personal information and the GPS location where that was taken or sent from.

Your cell device contact list is wide open to any xyz agency obtaining it directly from your device via a simple traffic cop stop or via xyz agents demanding it from your carrier provider, same with unencrypted emails, text msgs etc.

Unless you physically disconnect the battery's from your cell or tablet devices, your providers GPS polling data will track you. There are hermetically electronically shielded carrier's and bags to totally stop that but once the device is removed it's being tracked again. A simple but clean potato chip (aluminium) bag would do the same and many could find them for 'free'.

In order to survive today's evil Zionist created Western Police State, protesters and citizens will have to be much more aware and intelligent than at any-time previously otherwise they'll be a victim and take their family's and friends down with them thru their stupidity.

+6

Undo

Quebecois 27.02.2012 18:43

This is why I don't have a smartphone. :)

+5

Undo

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