Can an APP access cell phone data and use it without authorization?

21 mayo, 2021, by Santiago Comment

This is perfectly possible. Many applications have and will continue to do so in one way or another. One of the most notorious cases was the application Brilliant Flashlight Free for Android, which was accused of sharing the geographical location and mobile ID of millions of users who downloaded it, secretly or without their authorization.

According to information published in the Federal Trade Commission, an American organization created to protect consumers, the Bright Flashlight app, developed by GoldenShores Technologies, LLC, would have been sharing both aforementioned data with third parties, presumably advertisers, without the users who installed it having given their consent.

Although it is true that the application offers a License Agreement the first time it is opened, the collection of the user’s location and the device ID was already done even before the user clicked on the “Accept” button of said Agreement. .

The agreement states that the application can collect user data; the accusation against its actions is given because it was already beginning to do so, even before the user gives his consent to do so, regardless of whether or not he has read such an agreement.

According to the verdict issued by the FTC, the developers of Bright Lantern are required to “erase any personal information obtained through their application.”

Bright Flashlight is an application with tens of millions of downloads and an impressive score in terms of reviews on Google Play, despite being one of the most basic of its kind.

Conclution

From the outset, it is already quite suspicious that an app that provides such basic functionality has such an extensive License Agreement that normally most users accept without reading. Even the data of those who took pains to read, were already in the hands of the developer, although they finally rejected such an agreement. It is for this reason that it is important to know a little more about the developer of an application before installing it, take a look at its other apps on Google Play, be aware of the permissions it requests and revoke those that are unnecessary, especially sensitive permissions such as access to your photos and files, which you don’t want to give to a flashlight app that doesn’t need it.

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