Facebook Apps And Your Phone - A Warning

[TXARGUY]

A NOTE TO TGT MODS: I have pasted the complete text from the linked article in clear violation of TGT rules upon request of the article's author Nick Russo that this information be shared in an effort to educate as many people as possible on the subject matter. I understand that by pasting the full text I have violated TGT rules and will not be offended if you decide to alter this post, without changing it's message or spirit, to bring it into conformity with the forum rules however I believe that the contents of this post carry enough importance and gravity to the TGT community that I am willing to face whatever consequences you deem necessary up to and including a ban.

- Philip B.


I posted a link to the following article to my Facebook last night along with a message to everyone on my friends list letting them know that I was removing Facebook from my phone and why and then I deleted the app.

We'll call this Exhibit A for shits and grins:

I got a call from a Facebook friend this morning. He said he'd seen my post, read the linked article then went back to share it to his friends list and found that Facebook had zapped it.

That's right. They deleted my post.

So instead of sharing my post my friend linked the article to his own post and shared it. His post was up for almost 30 minutes before Facebook zapped it as well.

This is no conspiracy theory. This is no tin foul hat stuff. This is real and you are agreeing to allow it every time you click the accept button on Facebook's Terms and Conditions.

Exact text from the article:

First, this is VERY important to read and understand. I’m doing my best to look out for all the Facebook Users who aren’t as tech savvy as their kids or friends. I’m trying to help explain what’s happening because if I don’t…nobody else will!

If you’re anything like your neighbor…you probably use Facebook on your phone WAY more than you use it on a computer. You’ve been sending messages from the Facebook app and it probably always asks you if you want to install the Facebook Messenger App.

It’s always been OPTIONAL but coming soon to your Facebook experience….it won’t be an option…it will be mandatory if you care to send messages from your phone.

No big deal one might think…but the part that the average Facebook User doesn’t realize is the permissions you must give to Facebook in order to use the Facebook Messenger App. Here is a short list of the most disturbing permissions it requires and a quick explanation of what it means to you and your privacy.

Change the state of network connectivity – This means that Facebook can change or alter your connection to the Internet or cell service. You’re basically giving Facebook the ability to turn features on your phone on and off for it’s own reasons without telling you.
Call phone numbers and send SMS messages – This means that if Facebook wants to…it can send text messages to your contacts on your behalf. Do you see the trouble in this? Who is Facebook to be able to access and send messages on your phone? You’re basically giving a stranger your phone and telling them to do what they want when they want!
Record audio, and take pictures and videos, at any time – Read that line again….RECORD audio…TAKE pictures….AT ANY TIME!! That means that the folks at Facebook can see through your lens on your phone whenever they want..they can listen to what you’re saying via your microphone if they choose to!!
Read your phone’s call log, including info about incoming and outgoing calls – Who have you been calling? How long did you talk to them? Now Facebook will know all of this because you’ve downloaded the new Facebook messenger app.
Read your contact data, including who you call and email and how often – Another clear violation of your privacy. Now Facebook will be able to read e-mails you’ve sent and take information from them to use for their own gain. Whether it’s for “personalized advertisements” or if it’s for “research purposes” ….whatever the reason..they’re accessing your private encounters.
Read personal profile information stored on your device – This means that if you have addresses, personal info, pictures or anything else that’s near and dear to your personal life…they can read it.
Get a list of accounts known by the phone, or other apps you use – Facebook will now have a tally of all the apps you use, how often you use them and what information you keep or exchange on those apps.


Hopefully, you take this as serious as I do…after reading more about it and studying the permissions I have now deleted the app from my phone and don’t intend to use it ever again. I still have my Facebook app but I just won’t use the messaging feature unless I’m at a computer. Even then, I might not use messaging anymore.

With these kinds of privacy invasions I think Facebook is pushing the limits to what people will let them get away with. I remember when the Internet first began it’s march toward socializing dominance when AOL would send us CD’s for free trials every week. On AOL, we made screen names that somewhat hid our identities and protected us against the unseen dangers online. Now, it seems that we’ve forgotten about that desire to protect our identity and we just lay down and let them invade our privacy.

There may be no turning back at this point because many people won’t read this or investigate the permissions of Facebook’s new mandatory app but at least I can say I tried to help us put up a fight. Pass this along to your friends and at least try to let them know what they’re getting into.

-Nick Russo, CBS Radio Houston

Facebook?s New Mandatory Messenger App Raises Concerns « The New Bull @ 100.3

SOOOOO,
Facebook employees, contractors, etc... can through your freely given permission turn on your device's microphone at any time whether their app is running or not, whether your device is active or dormant, listen to and record any conversation you may be having.

Facebook employees, contractors, etc... can through your freely given permission turn on your device's camera at any time, whether your device is active or dormant, view and record video of anything you may be doing. Your young daughter is changing clothes with her phone laying on her bed? Guess what...

These are just two of the permissions you give them when you click accept. The others are equally as scary in their own way.

With anything you download or software you use today you have to pay attention. READ THE TOS! DON'T JUST CLICK ACCEPT trusting that the company writing the TOS has your best interest in mind because they do not.

EDIT: Response to Nick's Article:

Response To My Facebook Privacy Concerns « The New Bull @ 100.3

 

[Orbie]

Many of the android apps have these same permissions that you agree to for EACH app and is why I switched to an iPhone. I am not 100% but I would think that you would not have to allow these permissions on an iPhone. I don't use facebook so I won't be able to verify.

 

[Younggun]

I can go through mine and set permissions for each app as to what they can access.

Of course, I haven't updated my IOS since Obama was elected (popped up with in minutes of election results, my tin foil started resonating).

 

[Brains]

Apple puts pretty sensible restrictions on what a developer can and cannot do. When you grant permissions on an iPhone app, it's a LOT more clear and obvious what you're allowing. One of the biggest differences, is with Android is you grant 100% of the permissions when you install the app, before you ever used it. With Apple, you grant them individually when the app wants access. May seem trivial, but think about it - Android asks for everything at once, in cryptic terms, before you even know what the app really does. Apple asks right at the point the app wants to use the specific feature you are granting access to. It makes more sense to you what the app is doing, because you're in the middle of using it. App is going to post a picture, so it needs access to your photos. It pops up a dialog asking to use your photos. App is going to give you directions, so it wants to use your GPS location, and it pops up a dialog asking to use your location. Pretty simple and clear.

 

[karlac]

Classic click bait?

 

[BigBoss0311]

Sigh, these permissions are no different than a majority of the other apps people download. This has made the rounds several times and I'm sure it won't be the last. There is a reason that app asks you to grant permission to the things it does. Why does it need your microphone? So when you call it doesn't ask you permission every time to use your mic. Camera? Same thing, so when you want to take a picture it doesn't have to ask you every single time if it can be allowed to access the camera. And so on.

 

[Savage805]

I receive several emails from people using linked-in. When I ask them about it they knew nothing about it. So that means linked-in is harvesting their contact list and/or their sent/received email contacts. It's happened with more than a few people totally without their knowledge.

If you read the TOS for any app it will say they can change the terms of service at any time without notification.

 

[winchster]

Found the hidden menu that let's me turn off whatever permission I want. Lol

 

[AcidFlashGordon]

I guess it's a good thing I don't have any apps on my iPhone then. The only thing on it are what the "factory" installed. That crap can't be deleted. I've tried and even asked Asshole..er...Apple about it. They seemed confused that I didn't want a phone-full of shit.

 

[Brains]

I would be confused too, if you bought a smart phone only to use it like an old school flip phone.

There's a big difference between Apples installed apps and Android's carrier installed bloat ware.

Stick the stuff you don't use in a folder and call it a day. Or buy a flip phone.