Consumer Reports: Smartphone safety is lacking

[Shawn Knight]

Smartphones may be one of the most convenient electronic gadgets in this day and age but they also pose a huge security risk as highlighted by Consumer Reports in their annual State of the Net report. The publication found that...

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[Rasta211]

Anyway, to modify these app permissions? I would love a way to disable some of these permissions these apps want access to.

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

I wish I knew more about what risks are out there. Giving out your personal information is such a vague term it's really meaningless to me without being defined. If you visit a website you have to give that site your IP address or the server won't know who to send the reply to. Is that 'personal information?'

When I use the Gas Buddy app, I want it to know my current location so I can see gas stations near me. Is my current location 'personal information?'

The guideline from that pictures says 'Don't store private info on your phone' Yeah, I know not to make a text file full of websites with logins and passwords, but does my phone number count? Should I be deleting texts frequently... should I know have my facebook App auto login when I open it? All this stuff is pretty vague.

Cnet's article recommends deleting personal info before recycling your phone. Thanks... I'll be sure to write that down in case my common sense is ever in jeopardy.

 

[avoidz]

Apps require a whole load of vague permissions to even install otherwise you can't try them. It's no wonder users just click Next. The process is over-complicated.