Wednesday App Review: F-Secure App Permissions

F-Secure App Permissions

I am sure that everyone has, at one point or another, downloaded an app without bothering to really pay much attention to the permissions requirements listed on the download page. Just like the privacy policy or terms of service on pretty much every website in which you have an account, app permissions tend to take a backseat. We just want to download the app, okay? But, what if you miss something important? No apps are actually free in this day and age, and people are rapidly beginning to realize that many ‘free’ apps are actually collecting information on users. So, whether you are a casual user or an avid app permission checker, the F-Secure App Permissions app can be an invaluable tool to help see what all of those apps are actually doing. Screenshot_2015-08-25-15-03-44For me, the most important thing to note about this app is that it is extremely light. The app itself doesn’t attempt to modify the permissions of other apps (which would generally just cause the app to crash) but instead categorizes all of the permission that you totally didn’t read the first time around. The easy-to-understand categories include “can cost me money” or “can see personal info” as well as many others. You can select each app, review it or uninstall it if you don’t like the permissions. Unlike a lot of other app permission apps, this app has system apps hidden by default and therefore holds far less risk of users mistaking an important operating function as an unneeded and dangerous app. I can’t tell you how many apps I saw in the app store with screenshots of the UI listed with ‘dangerous permissions’ which might lead a novice to try and uninstall something important and brick the phone. For more advanced users, there is an option in the settings to include “system apps” which will show these if for some reason you need to know how many permissions your dialer has. Additionally, the app also features sorting functions and other things that will make it useful for slightly more advanced users. Of course, if you’ve been checking permission as you download like you really ought to, then this app probably isn’t going to be all that useful for anything other than breaking down which permissions mean what. Personally, I found it interesting to see things broken down in simplistic easy-to-understand categories. F-Secure App Permissions is free to download and is, unfortunately, only available on Android devices. The company also has a host of other apps which are paid and provide additional security, but they are totally not necessary for this app to function properly. The app is also extremely light on permissions so it’s very safe to download. Remember, being aware of what you’re putting on your device and who you’re giving your information to is the first step in mobile privacy! Want to know which permissions to look out for? Check out our article for more information.    ]]>

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