Google privacy still a problem: Android phones the culprit

We're still peeking!

With all the hullabaloo surrounding Google's new privacy policy (which takes effect today), I mentioned earlier that Android phones were also affected. Turns out there's another privacy invasion problem: Android apps can access your photos and (in some cases) publish them publicly.

The New York Times reports that they actually got an Android app developer to make a test app demonstrating just how susceptible your photos are:

"Ralph Gootee, an Android developer and chief technology officer of the software company Loupe, put together a test application that appears to be a simple timer. Installing the app produces a notification that it wants to be able to access the Internet, but there is no notice about photos. When the app is started and the user sets the timer, the app goes into the photo library, retrieves the most recent image and posts it on a public photo-sharing site."

Awesome! Oh wait, no it's not. That time you got wasted and took 800 pictures so you could remember the great times you had? It could possibly go on the Web.

To be fair, most people who use their phones as cameras end up sharing the photos anyway via Facebook or Twitter (and yes, I'm talking those terrible drunk photos no one wants to see), but the point is that they post the pics themselves, with their knowledge and their consent. But Android apps don't need permission.

In the NYT article, a Google spokesman said, "We originally designed the Android photos file system similar to those of other computing platforms like Windows and Mac OS. At the time, images were stored on a SD card, making it easy for someone to remove the SD card from a phone and put it in a computer to view or transfer those images. As phones and tablets have evolved to rely more on built-in, non-removable memory, we’re taking another look at this and considering adding a permission for apps to access images.”

Oh good, considering it, are you? As an Android owner, this is making me rather nervous. I'm starting to like it better during the days of non-Internet phones, where all we could do was actually call people.

And think you're safe because you're an Apple user? Don't bet on it.

Well don't just stand there, snoopers, come on in!

Privacy--how is it not an issue?

The Inquirer (not the ENquirer, the amusing supermarket tablet) published an article about Google's upcoming privacy changes, which take effect March 1. Several reports claim the majority of Google users are ignorant, which is depressing, but not surprising.

Yes, anywhere from 12 percent (Inquirer) checking the new policy out to 7 out of 8 people NOT checking it, the stats are pretty low when it comes to people caring about who views their information over a multitude of platforms, uses it and packages it in the form of "tailored content"--searches designed specifically relate to your past history.

But when the EU and U.S. attorneys general become concerned, maybe it's time for people to sit up and listen. Claims of violations and fears of invasion of privacy from a number of respected people who actually know how to read that policy junk shouldn't be taken lightly.

So what is happening with the privacy policy? More details can be found here but the basic gist is that the separate privacy policies of Google (Gmail, Youtube, Android, etc etc) will be combined into "one beautifully simple and intuitive experience across Google," as their overview page states. Well, that's nice but what if someone doesn't want that? 

OK, so John's a woman. But you get the point.

Let's use an example. Say John has a Youtube account, a Gmail account, regularly uses Google in his searches and has an Android phone. Say he also works in a public office where anyone can have access to his computer and, if he's not careful, his email account (if he doesn't log off.) He has to be careful what he searches on Google, because he doesn't want to be caught looking at porn while he's at work. 


But say he loves to look at puppy videos on Youtube when he's at home, or searching for the latest movie trailers starring Sylvester Stallone. Or say he's super lonely and likes to look at pictures of women he can never date. He's not going to be doing anything like that at work (unless he's bored or stupid) and would prefer to keep his work computer as clean as possible. His job depends on it.


Then say he uses his phone to check his banking information while he's at work, because he doesn't want to leave a history of his account number or banking website on his computer. His phone is a nice, personal way to check his account to see if anyone's stolen his identity or to find out if he can take the office to lunch. 


What Google is planning to do is to create a policy that will combine all those separate searches into advertising that will reflect what you're searching for. So now, when John's at work diligently researching the latest accounting trends or shortcuts for Photoshop, he might get ads popping up that show the best places to adopt dogs or cats, where to work out to get buff like Sylvester Stallone, singles dating sites or XXX sites, or banks that have the lowest fees for opening a savings account. Some of that is damming information when you're at work. If Bill happens to pop by the desk and see the ads on the sides of the page, he can deduce quite a number of things about his coworker that he would never have been able to otherwise.


And can I just add that the idea of suggesting search queries is A, not new (as Google seems to suggest--I have tried to search "What happens when you get lost" and have not gotten past "what happens" when the search box is filled in with "What happens when you get pregnant") and B, annoying. Maybe I don't WANT to search Columbus, Ohio just because I recently looked up driving directions to Chicago, maybe I'm interested in Christopher Columbus! Leave me alone and let me do my own searching!


It looks like Google is going ahead as scheduled with its new policy, despite calls from several watchdog groups to delay it. What this means for the EU is up for grabs; I don't live in Europe so I don't really care. But for the millions of people here who use multiple Google services, you better start clearing out your history and preparing separate accounts if you use Google at work and at home.