Warning: a casual comment from a stranger at a coffee shop in Boise changed how I think about my phone

I was waiting for my order at a cafe last Tuesday, and the guy next to me was showing his friend a picture on his phone. He pointed at the screen and said, 'See that little green dot? That means the camera is on right now.' He wasn't even talking to me, but it stuck with me. I went home and checked my own apps, and I found three with camera permissions that didn't need them. How many apps on your phone have access they shouldn't?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamesf292mo ago

Man, that's a creepy thought, isn't it? I had the same panic a while back. I went through my settings and found a simple flashlight app wanted my microphone. A flashlight! Why does it need to hear me? It makes you check every single permission. I turned off location for everything except maps now.

grant4782mo ago

That flashlight app thing is wild, but honestly I'm not that worried about it. Most apps just need basic stuff to work right, and the phone shows you when the camera is on. Feels like people get too paranoid over permissions.

vera1952mo ago

Exactly, it's that weird mismatch that gets me. A flashlight needing your mic is just plain SUSPICIOUS.