What happens when you allow an app to access contacts?
Table of Contents
- 1 What happens when you allow an app to access contacts?
- 2 What does allowing access to contacts mean?
- 3 Can apps steal your contacts?
- 4 How do I stop an app from accessing my contacts?
- 5 What do apps look at when they access your contacts?
- 6 Why do some apps need permission to access my contacts?
- 7 Should you allow apps to access your phone call logs?
What happens when you allow an app to access contacts?
When apps ask for access to your address book and you consent, the data-sharing doesn’t always stop there. The names and contact information that used to stay safe in analog address books now float around the data economy, bouncing from smartphones to app-makers to third-party data collectors.
What does allowing access to contacts mean?
As the name suggests, permissions govern what an app is allowed to do and access. This ranges from reading the data stored on your phone, such as contacts and media files, through to using hardware including your handset’s camera or microphone. Granting permission allows the app to use the feature.
Is it safe to allow apps to access your phone?
Dangerous permission groups, however, can give apps access to things like your calling history, private messages, location, camera, microphone, and more. Therefore, Android will always ask you to approve dangerous permissions.
Can apps steal your contacts?
Researchers from ZScaler have warned Android smartphone users about 16 apps that can steal SMS messages, contact lists and device information. The research showed that the apps contain a type of malware called Joker.
How do I stop an app from accessing my contacts?
1 Answer
- Go so Settings via the gear wheel icon.
- Select Apps.
- Select the gear wheel icon.
- Select App permissions.
- Select the permission of your choice.
- Disable the app’s permission.
Can an app access my contacts when uninstalled?
Deleting an app removes all traces of its code from your device. That said, if they’ve pulled data from your phone to some remote location, they’ve still got it. They just can’t gather any more once their app is removed. THank you for the courtesy of your replies.
What do apps look at when they access your contacts?
When an app accesses your contacts, be aware that it’s not only looking at your friends and family phone numbers and addresses but also, for example, your doctor names and any personal health data you may have put in the Notes field. Or financial data like credit card or account numbers. Or ::gasp:: passwords.
Why do some apps need permission to access my contacts?
Apps need permission for accessing your contacts to improve privacy. This is done so that no app can use your contacts/other apps without your permission. I want to go paperless, but how can I get my team on board?
What does “has access to your phone” really mean?
If you’re an app developer for Android, Google says you must declare what parts of your phone your app can use — and you must use Google’s wording. So Facebook had to use text that says, “Has access to your phone,” even though what it really means is “… if you try to call someone from within the Messenger app.”
Should you allow apps to access your phone call logs?
On Android, apps can request access to your phone calls, call logs and SMS messages. There are legitimate uses for this data, including identifying you to your telco or pausing certain actions when a call comes in; some games and fitness tracking apps do this. That said, you should allow this kind of access for apps only from companies you trust.