by Ashley Oliver
There is a growing concern by a segment of the population over privacy invasion by free, downloaded apps on their Android mobile devices.
“If an app is free, you’re the product,” said Daniel Phelps, a television studio manager for the Communications Technology program at York College. “There’s a reason why [an application] is free, it’s all about advertising!”
May 2013 statistics compiled by Statista, an online statistics portal, reveal that free applications downloaded at the Google Play Store for Android, have 8% greater access to your location, address book, and account information than paid applications. Additionally, the Terms of Service for Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook Messenger all state that information users provide can be sold to third parties for advertisement.
Some students believe the privacy policies provided by some of the free mobile applications are deceiving.
Twenty-year old sophomore biology major Shaquille Martin said, “The typical civilian won’t bother to read the Terms of Service because of the font size and the way they phrase things.”
Martin says if the font were bigger and the document was more concise, consumers may be more willing to read.
“It’s uncomfortable to read such small print and so many words on such a small device. Apps purposely do this because they know unless you’re a lawyer, it’s highly unlikely the average Joe will read all that the privacy setting entails,” said Martin.
“No one reads the Terms of Service,” said 20-year old sophomore movement-science major, Lia Lewis. “I was never aware that a phone app can take my personal data. At the top of the document they always state you own your content, so it’s disgusting that they mention that our information can be sold to private companies at the bottom.”
Some consumers feel that Androids are more prone to a greater invasion of privacy because they do not have an operating system like iPhones.
“Different operating systems have different security systems,” said Phelps. “The Facebook app on Android tracks what you’re looking at in other apps, [and] IOS, which is the system for the iPhone, doesn’t.”
Twenty-eight year old senior computer-technology major, Jayson Jones, says the multiple platforms Androids operate on contribute to the lack of privacy.
“There are so many different versions of Android systems, but Apple creates their own software. Both systems are susceptible to invasion of privacy from apps. But with this new IOS system, the government was upset with Apple because [IOS] restricted applications from selling people’s privacy to third parties. That’s why there are so many free apps on the Google Play Store. Android is more concerned with selling their devices to multiple platforms,” said Jones.
In a phone interview, a Samsung representative reiterated the company’s policy of not selling private information to third parties.
“We don’t have the option to do anything with customers privacy setting,” said Samsung customer service agent, Jenize Santos.
Some parents are concerned about the application companies selling their children’s pictures to illegal businesses.
Loraine Trimm, a 43-year old elementary teacher at Public School 13 in East New York, Brooklyn said, “No one knows where the information can end up. It just goes to show nothing is free. I see some of my 5th graders on these applications putting their business out there, but they don’t know the consequences of who’s going to steal their information.”
“My grandchildren use that Facebook app on their phone to keep in touch with the family,” said 68-year old Lystra Woolford. She continued, “Many of the conditions say that you only have to be 13. That’s still a baby. We shouldn’t be paying these apps with children’s information. We pay taxes, that should be enough.”
Nineteen-year old studio art major Grace Desuze says too many people strive to become popular by getting noticed on the social media applications.
“From a business standpoint, these apps work in their favor! If upcoming celebrities put their information [on social media apps], people are gonna start noticing them and that’s what they want. But when you defame your own name and put your drama on these apps, then it gets like Jerry Springer,” said Desuze.
Twenty-five year old Marcio Castillo, a computer technician at East New York Family Academy in East New York Brooklyn expresses a growing dismay at applications tracking users.
“What worries me is when these apps start using GPS technology to find out where you are,” Castillo noted. “People do not care because it’s free and because we’re in a technology age where everything is online, but it’s a problem when an application and other private parties know where you are at all times. Soon they might implement a system where they can violate your civil rights.”
Phelps, of York’s Communication Technology Program, cautions everyone needs to be aware of what they post. He said, “It isn’t just young people, everyone uses these apps. You just gotta be careful of what you put up and what you download because they’re tracking you.”
There is a growing concern by a segment of the population over privacy invasion by free, downloaded apps on their Android mobile devices.
“If an app is free, you’re the product,” said Daniel Phelps, a television studio manager for the Communications Technology program at York College. “There’s a reason why [an application] is free, it’s all about advertising!”
May 2013 statistics compiled by Statista, an online statistics portal, reveal that free applications downloaded at the Google Play Store for Android, have 8% greater access to your location, address book, and account information than paid applications. Additionally, the Terms of Service for Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook Messenger all state that information users provide can be sold to third parties for advertisement.
Some students believe the privacy policies provided by some of the free mobile applications are deceiving.
Twenty-year old sophomore biology major Shaquille Martin said, “The typical civilian won’t bother to read the Terms of Service because of the font size and the way they phrase things.”
Martin says if the font were bigger and the document was more concise, consumers may be more willing to read.
“It’s uncomfortable to read such small print and so many words on such a small device. Apps purposely do this because they know unless you’re a lawyer, it’s highly unlikely the average Joe will read all that the privacy setting entails,” said Martin.
“No one reads the Terms of Service,” said 20-year old sophomore movement-science major, Lia Lewis. “I was never aware that a phone app can take my personal data. At the top of the document they always state you own your content, so it’s disgusting that they mention that our information can be sold to private companies at the bottom.”
Some consumers feel that Androids are more prone to a greater invasion of privacy because they do not have an operating system like iPhones.
“Different operating systems have different security systems,” said Phelps. “The Facebook app on Android tracks what you’re looking at in other apps, [and] IOS, which is the system for the iPhone, doesn’t.”
Twenty-eight year old senior computer-technology major, Jayson Jones, says the multiple platforms Androids operate on contribute to the lack of privacy.
“There are so many different versions of Android systems, but Apple creates their own software. Both systems are susceptible to invasion of privacy from apps. But with this new IOS system, the government was upset with Apple because [IOS] restricted applications from selling people’s privacy to third parties. That’s why there are so many free apps on the Google Play Store. Android is more concerned with selling their devices to multiple platforms,” said Jones.
In a phone interview, a Samsung representative reiterated the company’s policy of not selling private information to third parties.
“We don’t have the option to do anything with customers privacy setting,” said Samsung customer service agent, Jenize Santos.
Some parents are concerned about the application companies selling their children’s pictures to illegal businesses.
Loraine Trimm, a 43-year old elementary teacher at Public School 13 in East New York, Brooklyn said, “No one knows where the information can end up. It just goes to show nothing is free. I see some of my 5th graders on these applications putting their business out there, but they don’t know the consequences of who’s going to steal their information.”
“My grandchildren use that Facebook app on their phone to keep in touch with the family,” said 68-year old Lystra Woolford. She continued, “Many of the conditions say that you only have to be 13. That’s still a baby. We shouldn’t be paying these apps with children’s information. We pay taxes, that should be enough.”
Nineteen-year old studio art major Grace Desuze says too many people strive to become popular by getting noticed on the social media applications.
“From a business standpoint, these apps work in their favor! If upcoming celebrities put their information [on social media apps], people are gonna start noticing them and that’s what they want. But when you defame your own name and put your drama on these apps, then it gets like Jerry Springer,” said Desuze.
Twenty-five year old Marcio Castillo, a computer technician at East New York Family Academy in East New York Brooklyn expresses a growing dismay at applications tracking users.
“What worries me is when these apps start using GPS technology to find out where you are,” Castillo noted. “People do not care because it’s free and because we’re in a technology age where everything is online, but it’s a problem when an application and other private parties know where you are at all times. Soon they might implement a system where they can violate your civil rights.”
Phelps, of York’s Communication Technology Program, cautions everyone needs to be aware of what they post. He said, “It isn’t just young people, everyone uses these apps. You just gotta be careful of what you put up and what you download because they’re tracking you.”