Google Play adopting honour system for app permission disclosure

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Google Play Store dropping app permission information

Google is dropping its separate "app permission" sections in the Play Store in favour of descriptions provided by the specific developer, according to an Ars Technica report.

This comes just a week before the tech giant reaches the deadline for its new "Data Safety" section, and the move raises some concerns surrounding privacy on the platform.
 
Not to make this a platform discussion, but I think this is one of the areas where Apple shines - their app store is super-curated so it tends to run less risk of malignant developers just self-approving their software.

This seems like a really bad move from Google.
 
UrBaN963 said:
Not to make this a platform discussion, but I think this is one of the areas where Apple shines - their app store is super-curated so it tends to run less risk of malignant developers just self-approving their software.

This seems like a really bad move from Google.
Click to expand...
The Apple store is an example of it going too far in the other direction, to the point where small developers must constantly remove features from their app that are allowed by the bigger apps.

We need more competition.
 
UrBaN963 said:
Not to make this a platform discussion, but I think this is one of the areas where Apple shines - their app store is super-curated so it tends to run less risk of malignant developers just self-approving their software.

This seems like a really bad move from Google.
Click to expand...

Its a monumentally retarded decision by Google if you ask me.

There should be no "honour" system, it should be automated and explicitly spelled out by the App Store what permissions a specific App requires in my opinion. If they have the info, then they must publish it.
 
ToxicBunny said:
Its a monumentally retarded decision by Google if you ask me.

There should be no "honour" system, it should be automated and explicitly spelled out by the App Store what permissions a specific App requires in my opinion. If they have the info, then they must publish it.
Click to expand...
Should show you and have you agree before you even install an app.
 
UrBaN963 said:
Not to make this a platform discussion, but I think this is one of the areas where Apple shines - their app store is super-curated so it tends to run less risk of malignant developers just self-approving their software.

This seems like a really bad move from Google.
Click to expand...
Lol it takes them 2+ weeks just to approve an app update.
 
backstreetboy said:
Lol it takes them 2+ weeks just to approve an app update.
Click to expand...
Yea, but they approve them and don't use an honour system from a group of people (developers) who are most likely to adopt sketchy things in your program. Would you rather have the Wild West or a delay in an update?
 
ToxicBunny said:
Its a monumentally retarded decision by Google if you ask me.

There should be no "honour" system, it should be automated and explicitly spelled out by the App Store what permissions a specific App requires in my opinion. If they have the info, then they must publish it.
Click to expand...
Why? Apple's version is also developer supplied.
 
UrBaN963 said:
Not to make this a platform discussion, but I think this is one of the areas where Apple shines - their app store is super-curated so it tends to run less risk of malignant developers just self-approving their software.

This seems like a really bad move from Google.
Click to expand...
It's totally stupid to expect self-regulation to work, but I also gather that Apple's lengthy approval process doesn't really do a great job of protecting users. I'd say it exists mainly so that Apple gets to control what users can install, for example preventing anyone from providing a tvOS VPN application. The reasons for that are entirely nefarious.
 
Does their basic system not already know what the app requires in terms of permissions?

I'd expect it would at least surely perform some kind of enumeration on defined permissions requested by an app pushed to them for publishing even before whatever other review systems they impose?

This sounds like something that they're trying to push to make you just maybe accept that location tracking or "I'll drain your data via mobile because you said it was okay" kinda bullschit. Kinda like downvotes make not everyone feel like they've won or something so we'll remove them.

Whatever I guess because I avoid the play store like the plague anyway.
 
Ah yes.... And companies would totally be honest about it...

Report: TikTok is sucking up your data and send it to China.... allegedly

https://mikeelgan.substack.com/p/report-tiktok-is-sucking-up-your The Australian cybersecurity firm Internet 2.0 analyzed the source code for TikTok’s Android app to find out exactly what it does. They found the TikTok app: collects phones’ IMEI number, which is the specific number that...
mybroadband.co.za mybroadband.co.za
 
Slightly off-topic question here. I had to replace a phone that got damaged and when the time came to install apps from Google I found none of the previously installed apps or purchased apps were listed or automatically installed. When did this change? I could not remember which apps I had installed in the damaged phone.
 
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