Privacy and Social Media: Allow Access?

Even the most trivial third party applications via social media or otherwise require access to specific permissions regarding the data of the user. While third parties have gotten more specific with the aspects of data they request, many are still not specific as to how they use the data unless they are questioned. This, in turn, creates suspicion from everyday users regarding how and where their data is stored or used. While social media arbitrators rely on the ignorance of users to grant various permissions, consumers are wising up in regards to whether to grant specific permissions or not. Consequentially, this is forcing more and more third-party extensions or applications to provide additional information on the permissions required.

Cases such as these are not limited merely to giant social media platforms like Facebook. It is prominent in places such as the Google Play Store as well. I have seen several cases in which minimal applications have requested permissions that should not be required for the app to work. For example, there are several apps that claim to be "solar eclipse sunglasses" out on the Google Play store. One of the top results requires access to the user's phone number and call information. There is no logical reason for this permission to be requested.

Specific permissions that have prominent potential for abuse are access to files of any type on the device, making/managing phone calls, and access to calendar events, contacts, and/or any other information the user might input on the device. These permissions are easier to miss because we tend to grant them without another thought because we believe the app needs them for a specific reason. They are more subtle than a bigger permissions like your location. While there are always exceptions to this, most general applications that are not directly targeted towards data such as contacts or events should not ask for those permissions.

It is always good to be cautious regarding personal information, and it appears that the general public is desiring to become more and more aware of what their data is being used for. There is still a long way to go in regards to uncovering entirely what third-parties are doing with data, but this is a big step in the right direction for both consumers and arbitrators alike. The more open a third party is regarding what it does with the user's data, the better the chances are for a consumer to trust a company. However, this could also be a detriment for companies that use data for malicious intent, which is the reason permission reasoning is required in the first place.