Android apps that spy on you

[kai_uk]

If you have installed the Brightest Flashlight App on the android you may with to remove it. Here is the app:

Brightest Flashlight App – Free of Charge * Turns on all available lights on the device * Camera Flash LED at Maximum * Screen at Bright Maximum * Keyboard Backlight at Maximum * Soft Keys Backlight at Maximum * Notification LED at Maximum * Automatic Timer Exits Application after 2 Minutes * Audio Effects on Start and Stop * Unobtrusive Ads

It was in the news recently that they were selling your private data to third parties. I had it installed but now removed it like many other former users. Do you know of any other that spy on you?

 

[deansaliba]

I don't think they are spying on you in the traditional sense, they are collecting information just like every website does (cookies), it is certainly unethical of them to be selling the information they have collected.

 

[MorgUK]

I don't think they are spying on you in the traditional sense, they are collecting information just like every website does (cookies), it is certainly unethical of them to be selling the information they have collected.

True, but for an app that's not even meant to be online, this is very unethical.

 

[kai_uk]

Perhaps i should have included a link for further details:

Spying Flashlight App: FTC Accuses 'Brightest Flashlight' For Android Secretly Delivering User Information To Advertisers

If it is too much to read here is a snippet:

According to the US Federal Trade Commission, the Brightest Flaslight app developed by GoldenShores Technologies for Android devices took ID and location data from millions of users and shared it with advertising networks.

 

[OhioTom76]

I'm pretty disappointed with Google. I was under the impression they were policing this stuff in their app store and with their Chrome extensions, but apparently they are not. I ran into a slightly similar problem recently with some of their Chrome extensions. Apparently some developers are embedding adware/malware right into the extension itself. The one in particular that I had was called Superfish, and would hijack product images on pages I was visiting, putting these stupid flyout popover ads on top of them. The worst part about it all was that this crap was nowhere to be found in my installed programs, nor in my list of Chrome extensions (since it was *in* an existing extension) and the antivirus apps I have on my computer didn't catch it either.