Google removes privacy feature from Android mobile software

Full Story: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/13/us-google-android-idUSBRE9BC0YO20131213

 

This is both really funny and sad, considering all this publicity over Google telling the NSA and Marketers to kiss the curb. Can't say I wasn't surprised this would happen. Even if a Skunk changes its colors, it's still going to smell, act, and walk like a skunk.

 

Techwiz, this is outright pathetic. I'm beginning to regret ever purchasing my Nexus 7. It is always fouling up to begin with, what with the Youtube app hardly ever working and more. I had wondered why they were sending out I think two system updates in the last week, now I know. I am getting very tired of their hypocritical stances on privacy and security. They are mad at and tell the NSA to go to Hades, but turn right around and practically spy themselves through every service they have. They worry about apps in their store having excessive rights and malware-like behavior, then go and remove the ability to control them. Third party marketers are no longer allowed to keep tabs on users through loading images, but by God Google can.

I hate ranting, and generally dislike ranters, but I don't know a more appropriate response to the continued arrogance and two-faced actions of this company. I admit they have an ingenious operation going. Provide what are arguably the best services in the world for free, all while not at all secretly doing the very things they are in the media complaining about.

 

It's not hard to guess who wanted this change. Who more than anyone else wants constant access to location data and contact lists?

A large demonstration at their corporate headquarters where users smash their Androids against the wall and leave them the mess.

So glad that I never had a use for these so called "smart" phones.

 

I honestly would love to do that to them at this point. I fully understand that I am the product when it comes to Google. I accepted that the very first time I ever had a Gmail address. However, they are really taking things further and further and, again, I am not fond of their hypocritical behavior.

 

Here is the EFF story on the issue - https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/...cy-features-android-shortly-after-adding-them

 

Most of the offending apps are Google apps and can't be disabled or removed. A small tweek I use is the UC browser which has an ad block feature which the Chrome and stock android browser don't have.

 

I used UC Browser in the past. But one time I used it to log into Facebook right after a program update and was mistakenly logged into another Facebook user's account...with full access. This was some Facebook user from India or some country like that. I logged out, uninstalled the browser and informed the UC Browser developers. I don't know if UC ever informed users about this problem or not but they did some quick update to fix the problem. They acknowledged the problem at some point to some media outlets.

 

Never had that problem. My complaint with UC is it won't save any passwords.

 

You can get AppOps back in numerous ways. There are quite a few apps, there are some ROMs, and there is the Xsposed Framework with the XPrivacy plug-in. It's still in the OS. Just search XDA for "AppOps" or "Privacy"...or the Play Store for "AppOps".

YMMV on what phone and OS version you are on. I think all need root.