Google accesses your personal information through your mobile
In the last update of the Google search engine from the mobile Android, Google wants to access all your information personal Data ranging from more or less basic issues such as knowing the precise location of the user, to private issues such as access and edit text messages, know your Internet browsing history or even browse your contacts.Information that Google justifies necessary to carry out the functions of this application, but that is abusivefor usual practice like Internet browser
The controversy appears after the last update of the application Google Search A tool that acts as the search engine already does on the page web, but which requests a large amount of permissions from the user to access all kinds of data. The justification for this question comes from the hand of Google Now, the company's proactive assistant. A tool that is gaining more and more importance as it dedicates itself toperforming tasks automatically , resolving doubts and informing the user about matters of interest even before that the user asks. However To what extent is Google's full access to user and mobile data justified? Is the user really aware?
The permissions that applications request before being installed in a terminal Android is a rather controversial issue. This is a mandatory process that users must go through when downloading a new tool on their smartphone Thus, a pop-up window from Google Play requests that the user acceptthese permissions. Questions that the application claims to need for its proper functioning, although it does not always correspond to reality. That is, an information application weather needs to have access to Internet to update the data. It can even request permission to access the GPS sensor and know the user's location to present them with information about the area they are in.But it would not be normal for this type of application to request access to SMS or other functions that make it impossible for it to work.
In the case of Google Search the permissions cover the broad spectrum of terminal functionalities. A step that must be accepted in order to use the latest version of the application, especially if you want to use a smart watch. With this, this application can access history of applications and web pages consulted by the user. In addition, you can see first-hand the information of the different accounts that the user has in the terminal. Even more surprising is the possibility of accessing the contact list, being able to edit it, or do the same with the eventsthat the user owns in their calendar. But this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Next to the exact location of the user, the application Google Search is also capable of receiving and sending SMS text and MMS messages, as well as reading the ones the user already has. Exactly the same thing that happens with the phone and the call history But if this content may not seem private, the application also has access to the microphone and camera of the terminal. And, of course, to the multimedia content (photos, videos and audio) stored on the device.
Apart from these main permissions, they can also make the hairs of users most concerned about their privacy the list of functionalities that They are collected in the category Others Issues as striking as “download files without notification”, connect to WiFi networks , pair with Bluetooth devices, prevent device from entering sleep mode , run at startup, read contact data from Google accounts and a few more.
Permissions that can be understood due to the functions of the Google Now assistant And it is that it is capable of scrutinizing theGmail email of the user to find out if they have booked flights, hotels and cars and present a card with all that information. Or even being able to dictate out loud “OK Google, remind me to throw out the trash when I leave the house” Questions that are theoretically useful but are they used by the user? Aren't they an abuse by Google?
In this latest app update Google Search has a lot to do with Android Wear , the recent platform created for smart watches. And it is that, in it, the assistant Google Now has a leading presence to be able to carry out all kinds of tasks just by issuing an order to the doll.Something necessary when having to access the terminal to send a text message, book an appointment, etc But, couldn't they be functionalities-excuse to sneakily access user data for the benefit of Google?
The issue is that the acceptance of these permissions has been constituted as a custom A mere procedure that the user has accommodated to accept before installing an application. Something that many developers and companies, such as Google, can take advantage of to access all the information of the user and your terminal Data private that can be used by third parties for any purpose: from improving the operation of the application, to Get private files and documents with which to blackmail or obtain some benefit. And you Do you carefully read all the permissions of the applications you install on your mobile or tablet?
