Have you given up yet?

[DrNorm 10]

When a mobile phone app needs to update and demands extra permissions, do you still think about it, or just click OK?

 

The BBC Weather app on my phone wants to update and is now requesting permission to access call information including the remote number connected by a call.

 

What possible connection is there between providing a weather forecast and the person I might be speaking to on a private call?

 

I'm beginning to feel like a character in a film I've just watched,

(sorry you can't skip some ads)

[tzijlstra 11]

I have consciously said goodbye to Smartphones, as someone who teaches in information science I know how dangerous all these developments are. I also know how little consumers actually understand of what they are giving away by agreeing to everything.

[Location114 10]

I personally don't think so much about it.

 

From my personal opinion and it is just an opinion its based on no facts.....there's no major harm that will be caused it's just like using a PC you just need to be vigilant and use an element of common sense and that will usually be enough.

 

I have had a smartphone now for many years and it hasn't caused my any issues.

[bensonhedges 10]

I personally don't think so much about it.

 

From my personal opinion and it is just an opinion its based on no facts.....there's no major harm that will be caused it's just like using a PC you just need to be vigilant and use an element of common sense and that will usually be enough.

 

I have had a smartphone now for many years and it hasn't caused my any issues.

 

....that you know about.

[DrNorm 10]

If I was to think that its not actually the bbc who want to know who i'm calling, but some other third party, would that make me a little bit paranoid?

Edited November 30, 2014 by DrNorm
punctuation

[Location114 10]

If I don't know about it then clearly it's not an issue to me.

 

....that you know about.

[dosxuk 10]

The BBC Weather app on my phone wants to update and is now requesting permission to access call information including the remote number connected by a call.

 

You should make sure you're not using a dodgy clone of the BBC Weather app, because the official one doesn't want that permission.

 

These are the permissions the official version requires:

Version 1.2.4 can access:

Location

approximate location (network-based)

precise location (GPS and network-based)

Photos / Media / Files

modify or delete the contents of your USB storage

test access to protected storage

Device ID & call information

read phone status and identity

Other

full network access

view network connections

run at startup

control Near-Field Communication

 

Nothing there that's unexpected.

[DrNorm 10]

Thanks dosxuk, the app is legit. I've currently got v1.2.3.72 and here's the upgrade message. The app already has access to location, but as you note above, v1.2.4 needs access to Device ID & Call Information. When you drill down into that permission, call information means whether a call is active and the remote number.

 

I guess most people go along with the idea that they're not doing anything wrong and there's no reason why most apps shouldn't have access to personal information. But really, why do the BBC want to know who I'm calling? Is there any legitimate reason for this? Or could it be some agency other than the BBC who initiated this?

 

I confess I am getting more and more suspicious of apps which demand ever more access to personal data and I am reconsidering my current "open door" policy!

[tzijlstra 11]

Proof is in the pudding: on my iPad I have blocked all requests and all apps I use regularly work without a problem and to my satisfaction. So why do they want that data in the first place?

[the_bloke 17]

Device ID and Call Information may be a catch all permission in Android to reduce the need for an app to need lots of granulated permissions regarding call data.

 

https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/6014972?hl=en-GB

 

The BBC app might simply want to know if you are on the phone or not so it doesn't make a notification during a call.

[DrNorm 10]

The BBC app might simply want to know if you are on the phone or not so it doesn't make a notification during a call.

 

Maybe, maybe. It still doesn't sound quite right to me though. Why does the weather app need to make notifications? I go in occasionally, view the forecast, and close the app. It's not Facebook. There's no social context. When the app is open it can alert me about any weather warnings in my area then.

[arcusuniv 10]

I do accept and allow them to share information. What they do by accessing the phone is, they search for the network registered.