Precauções do Lauren Weinstein …

Precauções do Lauren Weinstein …

Originally shared by Lauren Weinstein

Regarding Google’s new Datally app and Google Permissions: Google has introduced a new app called Datally to help optimize mobile and Wi-Fi data usage. It apparently is quite good at these tasks. I installed it briefly and then uninstalled it. Why? Because I am not comfortable with its extensive permission requirements — including having to install its own VPN. Even as a trusted Google app, I’m uncomfortable because the Android (and Google more generally) permission set has gotten ever more complex and convoluted, despite Google’s attempts at improvement over the years. Frankly, I’m installing very few new apps and deleting many that I have long used. I’ve also sharply reduced my use of Google federated login at other sites, due to similar concerns about account data sharing complexities. This is not to suggest that Google is doing anything wrong here per se, given the complexities of the ecosystems involved, particularly federated permissions and Android fragmentation. But if I don’t feel confident that I truly understand how these permissions actually work in any given case, I’m going to be extremely reluctant to use such apps or features. And I’m pretty sure that I’m not alone in this. Of course many users just don’t even think about this, click away, and sometimes live to regret it. Nor do I have a quick solution to this set of problems. But I do know that when it comes to permissions, the current trajectory isn’t looking good. As for Datally itself, this strikes me as a set of services that really should ultimately be part of the OS, rather than trying to splice itself on top in the manner that Google apparently found necessary. Just my opinion.