Android app permissions
Discussion
I have a fairly recent(ish) android phone and looking through app permissions I seem to have ability to allow/deny some permissions but not for other permissions.
If I go to the option to show "All permissions" the list is quite scary on most apps, in as much as they seem to gain more or less full access to your phone, network, messages, contacts, read contents of storage including I presume SD memory card, access location in the background even though I turn off "location", record audio, change audio settings, have full network access, pair with bluetooth devices, view wifi connections, along with many others.
It is on this "All permissions" list that I have no control to allow or deny them.
In many apps the access to those permissions seems completely unnecessary so I was wondering if there is a way to deny those permissions that the system (or the app) doesn't give me the option to do so?
I know the default answer is that if I don't like the permission requests from apps to simply uninstall the app, but if I did so I'd likely have no apps on the phone at all. It seems every app these days is asking for a huge list of unnecessary permissions. So if you guys know any work around for this it would be most helpful.
If I go to the option to show "All permissions" the list is quite scary on most apps, in as much as they seem to gain more or less full access to your phone, network, messages, contacts, read contents of storage including I presume SD memory card, access location in the background even though I turn off "location", record audio, change audio settings, have full network access, pair with bluetooth devices, view wifi connections, along with many others.
It is on this "All permissions" list that I have no control to allow or deny them.
In many apps the access to those permissions seems completely unnecessary so I was wondering if there is a way to deny those permissions that the system (or the app) doesn't give me the option to do so?
I know the default answer is that if I don't like the permission requests from apps to simply uninstall the app, but if I did so I'd likely have no apps on the phone at all. It seems every app these days is asking for a huge list of unnecessary permissions. So if you guys know any work around for this it would be most helpful.
You only have that install or dont granularity. Thats the point of Android.
Interestingly, Android 11 reviews and removes unused app permissions over time
App developers tend towards the simpler models, because of ease, i.e. if a required permission is at level three of a particular hierarchy, its much easier to ask for the L1 rights, no matter how uncomfortable it makes the end user feel.
Interestingly, Android 11 reviews and removes unused app permissions over time
App developers tend towards the simpler models, because of ease, i.e. if a required permission is at level three of a particular hierarchy, its much easier to ask for the L1 rights, no matter how uncomfortable it makes the end user feel.
I have Android 9 on my Motorola and can toggle all permissions on or off for all the apps (including default Google ones).
I don’t seem to have ‘All Permissions’, I have Settings > Apps &Notifications>Advanced>App Permissions. This gives me a list of permissions such as Location or Camera.
I don’t seem to have ‘All Permissions’, I have Settings > Apps &Notifications>Advanced>App Permissions. This gives me a list of permissions such as Location or Camera.
You've not mentioned what flavour of android you have (ie the manufacturer) or the version number of android.
If it is recent you should be able to toggle off any permissions you don't want an app to have.
By default the android system will deny all permissions until the app is opened by the user for the first time - at which point you'll receive prompts about each of the permissions and you can decide what is appropriate e.g. Allow Only When App Is In Use, Allow All The Time, Deny or similar wording to that effect.
If an app has enabled permissions it's because it was granted by the user.
And if app use changes or whatever you can revoke those permissions at any later point in time. You're not trapped by the first decision you made when granting or denying permissions.
If it is recent you should be able to toggle off any permissions you don't want an app to have.
By default the android system will deny all permissions until the app is opened by the user for the first time - at which point you'll receive prompts about each of the permissions and you can decide what is appropriate e.g. Allow Only When App Is In Use, Allow All The Time, Deny or similar wording to that effect.
If an app has enabled permissions it's because it was granted by the user.
And if app use changes or whatever you can revoke those permissions at any later point in time. You're not trapped by the first decision you made when granting or denying permissions.
I have Android version 11 (that being the only info I could get from the phone after going through seemingly endless menus).
I do sometimes get the first run options that you describe but no where near the full list of permission that the app seemingly gains.
To describe what I am looking at I'll go through the menu as described below:
(1) Settings
(2) Apps
(3) >click on any particular app<
(4) Permissions
(5) .........at this point I can see the "allowed" permissions and the "denied" permissions BUT if I got to step 6....
(6) ...top right corner of screen click on the 3-dots and there is "All permissions"
(7) ...a list of all the app's permissions is shown, such as "read your contacts", "record audio", "have full network access", "view wifi connections".....and so on.
The items in section 7 are items that are not optionally turned off during the app's first run and I can not turn them off via the "All permissions" menu. It is the same with many other apps, which seemingly have far too many permissions which are excessively 'intrusive' and unnecessary for what the app advertises that it does.
Any way, I get the feeling that google like to give app developers seemingly full access to phones, unwarranted data collection and monitoring by google and 3rd parties is seemingly what the customer has to expect if we are to use modern day conveniences.
It would be nice however if there was something the customer could do to curtail an app so that it just uses the permissions that the app can function to its advertised purpose.
I do sometimes get the first run options that you describe but no where near the full list of permission that the app seemingly gains.
To describe what I am looking at I'll go through the menu as described below:
(1) Settings
(2) Apps
(3) >click on any particular app<
(4) Permissions
(5) .........at this point I can see the "allowed" permissions and the "denied" permissions BUT if I got to step 6....
(6) ...top right corner of screen click on the 3-dots and there is "All permissions"
(7) ...a list of all the app's permissions is shown, such as "read your contacts", "record audio", "have full network access", "view wifi connections".....and so on.
The items in section 7 are items that are not optionally turned off during the app's first run and I can not turn them off via the "All permissions" menu. It is the same with many other apps, which seemingly have far too many permissions which are excessively 'intrusive' and unnecessary for what the app advertises that it does.
Any way, I get the feeling that google like to give app developers seemingly full access to phones, unwarranted data collection and monitoring by google and 3rd parties is seemingly what the customer has to expect if we are to use modern day conveniences.
It would be nice however if there was something the customer could do to curtail an app so that it just uses the permissions that the app can function to its advertised purpose.
Ahh, I see where you're navigating to. That screen isn't necessarily what the app has permission for currently. But if it were allowed permissions to everything it asked for that screen lists everything it could possibly access.
For example, if you enter that screen and it says it can access the microphone and record any mic input etc then it doesn't mean it can currently. If you denied access to the mic for that app it can't perform those functions.
That expands to everything else listed. That might list what it can do with storage permissions, but if I deny it storage permissions then it's not applicable. Ditto for all other permissions.
Phones have been going the other way to your sentiments for a number of years now. It's actually getting easier to regain control, and the granularity of those controls is improving year on year.
For example, if you enter that screen and it says it can access the microphone and record any mic input etc then it doesn't mean it can currently. If you denied access to the mic for that app it can't perform those functions.
That expands to everything else listed. That might list what it can do with storage permissions, but if I deny it storage permissions then it's not applicable. Ditto for all other permissions.
Phones have been going the other way to your sentiments for a number of years now. It's actually getting easier to regain control, and the granularity of those controls is improving year on year.
Edited by Corso Marche on Tuesday 30th March 14:18
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