Bristol Digest, Vol 539, Issue 2

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Today's Topics:

1. Re: Thoughts on WhatsApp? (Alex Butcher)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2014 11:24:48 +0000 (GMT)
From: Alex Butcher <lug@assursys.co.uk>
To: bblug@fonehelp.co.uk, Bristol and Bath Linux User Group
<bristol@mailman.lug.org.uk>
Cc: Ian Plain <ian@cyber-cottage.co.uk>
Subject: Re: [bristol] Thoughts on WhatsApp?
Message-ID: <alpine.LFD.2.03.1402241120260.7216@nffheflf.pb.hx>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

On Mon, 24 Feb 2014, Mike Yates wrote:

> No Ian, I don't. I used WhatsApp briefly in 2010 while overseas to avoid
> roaming text charges. it was ideal for that then but charges have improved
> now. That is not the point. There is a polite way of using a phone-user's
> permissions and a very rude way. That was indeed known in 2011 (US congress)
> but the exact value of the deceptively gathered data was last week's news.
> Also, it was not 450 million phone numbers but 450 million BOOKS of phone
> numbers and emaii addresses!
>
> I would like all permissions to be optional. If the default is not choosen,
> the app may not function correctly, but it should THEN explain why it needs
> the access.
> Any ideas where that request would best be heard?

Take it to Apple and Google (as originator of Android), but they probably
won't be very receptive. After all, the entire purpose of Android is to
capture behavioural and demographic information so Google can better target
the advertising they serve. I doubt Microsoft's Windows Phone OS is any
better than either IOS or Android in this regard.

Blackberry's OS does have the kind of granular controls you desire, but I
don't think they're long for this world.

In the meantime, block connections to advertising sites (they're not only
contacted to download ads, but also to submit information that they gather
from your device), use CyanogenMod's Privacy Guard feature or similar
(requires invalidating your hardware warranty) and resign yourself that
otherwise the price of free is your personal information.

Best Regards,
Alex



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