Ian WhiteSmartphone Apps Invading your Privacy
December 19th 2010 22:47
Category: No Category
Privacy Violation? There's an App for that
Today's smart phones have an alarming amount of information about their users. Real name, phone numbers, ID number that can never be changed or turned off, location, photo's of your junk. Well if you thought those details would be safe, you need to think again. A Wall Street Journal investigation of 101 popular smartphone Apps showed that 56 transmitted the phone's unique device ID to other companies without users' awareness or consent. Forty-seven apps transmitted the phone's location in some way. Five sent age, gender and other personal details to outsiders.
Perhaps they're doing a dry run for the first ever Wikileaks app. Coming soon for the Iphone and Droid.
I was never too big on smartphones. Call me old fashioned but as long as I can text, dial, tell the time, and record police brutality, I'm content. This is another instance where we have become victimized by our need to have the latest gadgets and to be able to needlessly multi task. I mean it's one thing that we have to be bombarded with updates about how you ordered a pizza on Twitter, but when it comes to sites like Foursquare, where you're allowing strangers to track your movements all around the city, that is going too far. People will exploit your pathological need to pretend you're on reality television. So keep your eyes open, and your narcissism within reason.
Full Story
Today's smart phones have an alarming amount of information about their users. Real name, phone numbers, ID number that can never be changed or turned off, location, photo's of your junk. Well if you thought those details would be safe, you need to think again. A Wall Street Journal investigation of 101 popular smartphone Apps showed that 56 transmitted the phone's unique device ID to other companies without users' awareness or consent. Forty-seven apps transmitted the phone's location in some way. Five sent age, gender and other personal details to outsiders.
Perhaps they're doing a dry run for the first ever Wikileaks app. Coming soon for the Iphone and Droid.
I was never too big on smartphones. Call me old fashioned but as long as I can text, dial, tell the time, and record police brutality, I'm content. This is another instance where we have become victimized by our need to have the latest gadgets and to be able to needlessly multi task. I mean it's one thing that we have to be bombarded with updates about how you ordered a pizza on Twitter, but when it comes to sites like Foursquare, where you're allowing strangers to track your movements all around the city, that is going too far. People will exploit your pathological need to pretend you're on reality television. So keep your eyes open, and your narcissism within reason.
Full Story
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