Smartphone apps can be convenient and helpful, but the risk is higher than many users think

 

Katie Brown | Contributing Writer

Many smartphone users take advantage of free apps such as Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook in order to stay in touch with their friends and family. These apps help users keep track of what is going on in each other’s lives. However these apps are also keeping track of you— even when they are not in use.

Whenever a user downloads an app, he or she either wittingly or unwittingly gives that application permission to access phone functions or collect data. Some apps like Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook require more permissions than others.

On an Android phone, for example, after hitting the install button for an app, a list of permissions appears that a user must accept before downloading. Most of the permissions are under titles like “microphone,” “camera,” “your location” and “reading interaction info.”

It is only when clicking these titles that the user can view a brief description of what the permission means. When clicking on the “camera” per- mission, the user will see that the app can take pictures or record videos with the phone’s camera “at any time without your confirmation. ” Along the same lines, the “microphone” permission allows the application to record audio without the user’s consent.

Other conditions, like one titled “reading interaction info” allows the app to collect data on a user’s inter- actions with specific contacts, including how often the user texts, calls and emails each contact. Another titled “your messages” allows the app to read all a user’s text messages, “regardless of content or confidentiality . ”

The numbers of permissions for popular free apps vary. For example, on Snapchat there are a total of 12 per- missions, on Instagram there are 13 and on Facebook there are 23.

The iPhone makes reading the permissions even more challenging because it directs users to a generic privacy contract that does not come up automatically before downloading the app, instead of giving a brief summary of the permissions like Android phones.

In fact, according to The Guardian’s blog, Apple did not grant users access to the list of specific permissions until 2012.

The Guardian also reported that a YouGov survey of 2,272 British citizens found that 59 percent have downloaded apps, but that only 62 percent of them are concerned about resulting privacy issues. Over 40 percent said they have decided not to download at least one app due to these fears.

Some users do not want to take the time to consider what they are giving applications consent to do.

Sophomore computer science major Hannah Gonzalez was surprised when she learned of the permissions required by Snapchat; however, she said she plans to keep the application.

“I think if you use it [the app] responsibly, it’ s probably worth it. It depends on how you use it,” Gonzalez said.

She added that knowledge of the permissions is not enough to deter some people.

“It doesn’t matter because even if people know, they are still going to use it, ” Gonzalez said.

Ultimately it is up to the individual user to decide if the use of an application is worth the cost of his or her personal information. However, if the users do not have knowledge of these permissions, the decision is made for them.