Say NO to their terms.... YES to privacy.

Last week I received my new work phone and decided to download a very popular app (Game) to it.  Like all apps, before you download it, you have to accept the terms of the app and of course allow certain permissions for the app.  I went through the list of the permissions and saw the ones I have below.  I was a bit concerned though after reading through them.  Needless to say, I didn’t download it.

Phone Calls:

Allows the app to access the features of this device. This permission allows the app to determine the phone number and device ID’s, whether on a call is active, and the remote number connected by a call.

It needs to know what the phone is capable of, what the phone number is and all the phone numbers of people you call and call you? Why?

Approximate Location:

Allows apps to access your approximate location using location services based on network sources, such as mobile phone towers and Wi-Fi Aps. When these location services are available and enabled, this permission allows apps to determine your approximate location.

The app company needs to know all the hotspots and cell towers that the phone comes in contact with, why?

View Wi-Fi Connections:

Allows the app to view info about Wi-Fi networking, such as whether Wi-Fi is enabled and name of connected Wi-Fi devices.

Why does any of my Wi-Fi networking and devices need to be passed along to the app company?

View Network Connections:

Allows the app to view info about network connections such as which networks exist and are connected.

Again, why do they need to know about the networks I come in contact with? It isn’t just that they want to map out hotspots is it?

According to several articles I read, all of these can easily be explained by “Well we just don’t want to send too many of the same ads to the customer etc.” or “We need to be able to target our customers more effectively”.  I get it, if you download a “FREE” app, the company needs to make money somehow, but how much of my personal information, the information of those calling me or those that I call, are they allowed to have?  Am I asking the wrong questions? Am I just on old fuddy duddy, an 8-track tape guy living in a Blu-Ray era?

Parting Shots:

We live in a data centric era now where everything about anything is put out on display.  People use social media to show off or worse find out personal information about others and either laugh at them to feel better about themselves or use it in a dark manner.  We have allowed ourselves to become numb to the importance of privacy and the importance of anonymity but why? In these days of reality TV and instant fame, everyone has to be seen if not heard.  But by doing so, you always seem to show a little more of yourself than you need to or should.  We as a society need to start pulling back the reins and forcing our privacy and NOT blindly “Accept their terms”, accept your own terms and say no to the slow incrementalism of privacy loss.