Most of us get excited when we run across a cool app in the App Store on our smartphones. We go right to the app store and click install; but do we stop and think about the app permissions? There are millions of apps available for download but it might be a surprise, most of the apps are malicious. Some apps are built to destroy your phone or steal your data. In fact, one app which is picking up steam is “GetUpside”. It’s an app to help you save money; digital savings account. This app sounds perfect for those who want a quick way to put a few dollars back — but wait! There’s a catch!
Once you install this app you give the author of the app permission to take pictures or videos with your camera, read your contacts, find accounts on your device, access your precise location, modify or delete SD card content, read the content of your USB storage, have full network access, view WIFI connections, play/install referrer API, receive data from the internet, run at startup, and prevent your phone from being sleeping. You can disable the permissions on your phone however you will not be able to get updates or use the app as intended. Still, want to download apps?
Did you realize these poplar apps comprise your privacy and security? So how do you know which app is safe? The safety measure is to NOT install apps without reading the permissions. The permissions can be found under “Privacy Policy”. Once you click on the privacy policy link you will be directed to the permissions agreement/list by the author of the app. You should try to avoid Free Games, Keyboards, toolbars, or virus protection apps. Stay away from unknown apps.
Do your research online and be sure to read those privacy policies. It’s a great idea to revisit all the apps on your smartphone. Uninstall and remove apps that are not necessary, or you don’t use them. Be sure to restart your phone after you uninstall apps to be sure you clear the cache and they don’t reappear on startup. The Play Store and App Store have some perks, but you should analyze all apps before installing them on your smartphone.