# LANGUAGE translation of https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/malware-mobiles.html
# Copyright (C) YEAR Free Software Foundation, Inc.
# This file is distributed under the same license as the original article.
# FIRST AUTHOR <EMAIL@ADDRESS>, YEAR.
#
#, fuzzy
msgid ""
msgstr ""
"Project-Id-Version: malware-mobiles.html\n"
"POT-Creation-Date: 2025-03-16 17:26+0000\n"
"PO-Revision-Date: YEAR-MO-DA HO:MI+ZONE\n"
"Last-Translator: FULL NAME <EMAIL@ADDRESS>\n"
"Language-Team: LANGUAGE <LL@li.org>\n"
"Language: \n"
"MIME-Version: 1.0\n"
"Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8\n"
"Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit\n"

#. type: Content of: <title>
msgid "Malware in Mobile Devices - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><a>
msgid "<a id=\"side-menu-button\" class=\"switch\" href=\"#navlinks\">"
msgstr ""

#. type: Attribute 'title' of: <div><a><img>
msgid "Section contents"
msgstr ""

#. type: Attribute 'alt' of: <div><a><img>
msgid "&nbsp;[Section contents]&nbsp;"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div>
msgid "</a>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><p><a>
msgid "<a href=\"/\">"
msgstr ""

#. type: Attribute 'title' of: <div><p><a><img>
msgid "GNU Home"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><p>
msgid ""
"</a>&nbsp;/ <a href=\"/proprietary/proprietary.html\">Malware</a>&nbsp;/ By "
"product&nbsp;/"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><h2>
msgid "Malware in Mobile Devices"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid ""
"Nonfree (proprietary) software is very often malware (designed to mistreat "
"the user). Nonfree software is controlled by its developers, which puts them "
"in a position of power over the users; <a "
"href=\"/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html\">that is the "
"basic injustice</a>. The developers and manufacturers often exercise that "
"power to the detriment of the users they ought to serve."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid "This typically takes the form of malicious functionalities."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid ""
"Nearly all mobile phones do two grievous wrongs to their users: tracking "
"their movements, and listening to their conversations.  This is why we call "
"them &ldquo;Stalin's dream&rdquo;."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid ""
"Tracking users' location is a consequence of how the cellular network "
"operates: it needs to know which cell towers the phone is near, so it can "
"communicate with the phone via a nearby tower.  That gives the network "
"location data which it saves for months or years.  See <a "
"href=\"#phone-communications\">below</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid ""
"Listening to conversations works by means of a universal <a "
"href=\"#universal-back-door-phone-modem\">back door</a> in the software of "
"the processor that communicates with the phone network."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid ""
"In addition, the nonfree operating systems for &ldquo;smart&rdquo; phones "
"have specific malicious functionalities, described in <a "
"href=\"/proprietary/malware-apple.html\">Apple's Operating Systems are "
"Malware</a> and <a href=\"/proprietary/malware-google.html\">Google's "
"Software Is Malware</a> respectively."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid "Many phone apps are malicious, too.  See <a href=\"#TOC\">below</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><p>
msgid ""
"If you know of an example that ought to be in this page but isn't here, "
"please write to <a "
"href=\"mailto:webmasters@gnu.org\">&lt;webmasters@gnu.org&gt;</a> to inform "
"us. Please include the URL of a trustworthy reference or two to serve as "
"specific substantiation."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><h3>
msgid "Network location tracking"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><p>
msgid ""
"This section describes a malicious characteristic of mobile phone networks: "
"location tracking.  The phone network <a "
"href=\"https://ssd.eff.org/playlist/privacy-breakdown-mobile-phones\"> "
"tracks the movements of each phone</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><p>
msgid ""
"Strictly speaking, this tracking is not implemented by any specific software "
"code; it is inherent in the cellular network technology.  The network needs "
"to know which cell towers the phone is near, so it can communicate with the "
"phone via a nearby tower.  There is no technical way to block or avoid the "
"tracking and still have cellular communication with today's cellular "
"networks."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><p>
msgid ""
"Networks do not limit themselves to using that data momentarily.  Many "
"countries (including the US and the EU) require the network to store all "
"location data for months or years, and while stored it is available for "
"whatever use the network permits, or the State requires.  This can put the "
"user in great danger."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"US states that ban abortion talk about making it a crime to go to another "
"state to get an abortion.  They could <a "
"href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/29/tech/wireless-carriers-locations-fcc/index.html\"> "
"use various forms of location tracking, including the network, to prosecute "
"abortion-seekers</a>.  The state could subpoena the data, so that the "
"network's &ldquo;privacy&rdquo; policy would be irrelevant."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"That article explains why wireless networks collect location data, one "
"unavoidable reason and one avoidable (emergency calls).  It also explains "
"some of the many ways the location data are used."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Networks should never do localization for emergency calls except when you "
"make an emergency call, or when there is a court order to do so. It should "
"be illegal for a network to do precise localization (the kind needed for "
"emergency calls) except to handle an emergency call, and if a network does "
"so illegally, it should be required to inform the owner of the phone in "
"writing on paper, with an apology."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The authorities in Venice track the <a "
"href=\"https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/venice-control-room-tourism/index.html\"> "
"movements of all tourists</a> using their portable phones.  The article says "
"that <em>at present</em> the system is configured to report only aggregated "
"information.  But that could be changed.  What will that system do 10 years "
"from now? What will a similar system in another country do? Those are the "
"questions this raises."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Network location tracking is used, among other techniques, for <a "
"href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/location-based-advertising-has-starbucks-coupon-finally-john-craig\"> "
"targeted advertising</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><p>
msgid ""
"Designs for networks that wouldn't track phones have been developed, but "
"using those methods would call for new networks as well as new phones."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><h3>
msgid "Types of malware in mobiles"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><ul><li>
msgid "<a href=\"#addictions\">Addictions</a>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><ul><li>
msgid "<a href=\"#back-doors\">Back doors</a>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><ul><li>
msgid "<a href=\"#deception\">Deception</a>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><ul><li>
msgid "<a href=\"#drm\">DRM</a>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><ul><li>
msgid "<a href=\"#insecurity\">Insecurity</a>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><ul><li>
msgid "<a href=\"#interference\">Interference</a>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><ul><li>
msgid "<a href=\"#jails\">Jails</a>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><ul><li>
msgid "<a href=\"#manipulation\">Manipulation</a>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><ul><li>
msgid "<a href=\"#sabotage\">Sabotage</a>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><ul><li>
msgid "<a href=\"#surveillance\">Surveillance</a>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><div><ul><li>
msgid "<a href=\"#tyrants\">Tyrants</a>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><h3>
msgid "Addictions"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/nov/03/addicted-to-love-how-dating-apps-exploit-their-users\">Dating "
"apps exploit their users</a>; fundamental features require an expensive "
"subscription, and they are designed to be addictive."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Many popular mobile games include a random-reward system called <a "
"href=\"/proprietary/proprietary-addictions.html#gacha\"> <i>gacha</i></a> "
"which is especially effective on children. One variant of gacha was declared "
"illegal in Japan in 2012, but the other variants are still <a "
"href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2016/04/04/japanese-mobile-gaming-still-cant-shake-off-the-spectre-of-exploitation/\"> "
"luring players into compulsively spending</a> inordinate amounts of money on "
"virtual toys."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><h3>
msgid "Back Doors"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid ""
"Almost every phone's communication processor has a universal back door which "
"is <a "
"href=\"https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2006/12/remotely_eavesd_1.html\"> "
"often used to make a phone transmit all conversations it hears</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid ""
"The back door <a class=\"not-a-duplicate\" "
"href=\"https://www.osnews.com/story/27416/the-second-operating-system-hiding-in-every-mobile-phone/\"> "
"may take the form of bugs that have gone 20 years unfixed</a>.  The choice "
"to leave the security holes in place is morally equivalent to writing a back "
"door."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid ""
"The back door is in the &ldquo;modem processor&rdquo;, whose job is to "
"communicate with the radio network.  In most phones, the modem processor "
"controls the microphone.  In most phones it has the power to rewrite the "
"software for the main processor too."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid ""
"A few phone models are specially designed so that the modem processor does "
"not control the microphone, and so that it can't change the software in the "
"main processor.  They still have the back door, but at least it is unable to "
"turn the phone unto a listening device."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid ""
"The universal back door is apparently also used to make phones <a "
"href=\"http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/07/22/nsa_can_reportedly_track_cellphones_even_when_they_re_turned_off.html\"> "
"transmit even when they are turned off</a>.  This means their movements are "
"tracked, and may also make the listening feature work."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Android phones subsidized by the US government come with <a "
"href=\"https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/01/us-government-funded-android-phones-come-preinstalled-with-unremovable-malware/\"> "
"preinstalled adware and a back door for forcing installation of apps</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The adware is in a modified version of an essential system configuration "
"app. The back door is a surreptitious addition to a program whose stated "
"purpose is to be a <a "
"href=\"https://www.zdnet.com/article/unremovable-malware-found-preinstalled-on-low-end-smartphone-sold-in-the-us/\"> "
"universal back door for firmware</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"In other words, a program whose raison d'être is malicious has a secret "
"secondary malicious purpose. All this is in addition to the malware of "
"Android itself."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"A very popular app found in the Google Play store contained a module that "
"was designed to <a "
"href=\"https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/08/google-play-app-with-100-million-downloads-executed-secret-payloads/\">secretly "
"install malware on the user's computer</a>. The app developers regularly "
"used it to make the computer download and execute any code they wanted."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"This is a concrete example of what users are exposed to when they run "
"nonfree apps. They can never be completely sure that a nonfree app is safe."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Xiaomi phones come with <a "
"href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20190424082647/http://blog.thijsbroenink.com/2016/09/xiaomis-analytics-app-reverse-engineered/\"> "
"a universal back door in the application processor, for Xiaomi's use</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"This is separate from <a href=\"#universal-back-door-phone-modem\">the "
"universal back door in the modem processor that the local phone company can "
"use</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Baidu's proprietary Android library, Moplus, has a back door that <a "
"href=\"https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/11/millions-android-devices-vulnerable-remote-hijacking-baidu-wrote-code-google-made\"> "
"can &ldquo;upload files&rdquo; as well as forcibly install apps</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid "It is used by 14,000 Android applications."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/18/chinese-android-phones-coolpad-hacker-backdoor\"> "
"A Chinese version of Android has a universal back door</a>. Nearly all "
"models of mobile phones have a <a href=\"#universal-back-door-phone-modem\"> "
"universal back door in the modem chip</a>. So why did Coolpad bother to "
"introduce another? Because this one is controlled by Coolpad."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<a "
"href=\"https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/replicant-developers-find-and-close-samsung-galaxy-backdoor\"> "
"Samsung Galaxy devices running proprietary Android versions come with a back "
"door</a> that provides remote access to the files stored on the device."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><h3>
msgid "Deception"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Many Android apps fool their users by asking them to decide what permissions "
"to give the program, and then <a "
"href=\"https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2019/07/10/android-apps-sidestepping-permissions-to-access-sensitive-data/\"> "
"bypassing these permissions</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The Android system is supposed to prevent data leaks by running apps in "
"isolated sandboxes, but developers have found ways to access the data by "
"other means, and there is nothing the user can do to stop them from doing "
"so, since both the system and the apps are nonfree."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><h3>
msgid "DRM"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid ""
"Digital restrictions management, or &ldquo;DRM,&rdquo; refers to "
"functionalities designed to restrict what users can do with the data in "
"their computers."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The Netflix Android app <a "
"href=\"https://torrentfreak.com/netflix-cracks-down-on-vpn-and-proxy-pirates-150103/\"> "
"forces the use of Google DNS</a>. This is one of the methods that Netflix "
"uses to enforce the geolocation restrictions dictated by the movie studios."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><h3>
msgid "Insecurity"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid ""
"These bugs are/were not intentional, so unlike the rest of the file they do "
"not count as malware. We mention them to refute the supposition that "
"prestigious proprietary software doesn't have grave bugs."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"A security researcher found that the iOS in-app browser of TikTok <a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/aug/24/tiktok-can-track-users-every-tap-as-they-visit-other-sites-through-ios-app-new-research-shows\"> "
"injects keylogger-like JavaScript code into outside web pages</a>. This code "
"has the ability to track all users' activities, and to retrieve any personal "
"data that is entered on the pages. We have no way of verifying TikTok's "
"claim that the keylogger-like code only serves purely technical "
"functions. Some of the accessed data could well be saved to the company's "
"servers, and even sent to third parties. This would open the door to "
"extensive surveillance, including by the Chinese government (to which TikTok "
"has indirect ties). There is also a risk that the data would be stolen by "
"crackers, and used to launch malware attacks."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The iOS in-app browsers of Instagram and Facebook behave essentially the "
"same way as TikTok's. The main difference is that Instagram and Facebook "
"allow users to access third-party sites with their default browser, whereas "
"<a "
"href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20221201065621/https://www.reddit.com/r/Tiktokhelp/comments/jlep5d/how_do_i_make_urls_open_in_my_browser_instead_of/\"> "
"TikTok makes it nearly impossible</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The researcher didn't study the Android versions of in-app browsers, but we "
"have no reason to assume they are safer than the iOS versions."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<small>Please note that the article wrongly refers to crackers as "
"&ldquo;hackers.&rdquo;</small>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Out of 21 gratis Android antivirus apps that were tested by security "
"researchers, eight <a "
"href=\"https://www.comparitech.com/antivirus/android-antivirus-vulnerabilities/\"> "
"failed to detect a test virus</a>. All of them asked for dangerous "
"permissions or contained advertising trackers, with seven being more risky "
"than the average of the 100 most popular Android apps."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<small>(Note that the article refers to these proprietary apps as "
"&ldquo;free&rdquo;. It should have said &ldquo;gratis&rdquo; "
"instead.)</small>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Siri, Alexa, and all the other voice-control systems can be <a "
"href=\"https://www.fastcompany.com/90139019/a-simple-design-flaw-makes-it-astoundingly-easy-to-hack-siri-and-alexa\"> "
"hijacked by programs that play commands in ultrasound that humans can't "
"hear</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Some Samsung phones randomly <a "
"href=\"https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/7/2/17528076/samsung-phones-text-rcs-update-messages\">send "
"photos to people in the owner's contact list</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Many Android devices <a "
"href=\"https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/04/wide-range-of-android-phones-vulnerable-to-device-hijacks-over-wi-fi/\"> "
"can be hijacked through their Wi-Fi chips</a> because of a bug in Broadcom's "
"nonfree firmware."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The CIA exploited existing vulnerabilities in &ldquo;smart&rdquo; TVs and "
"phones to design a malware that <a "
"href=\"https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/wikileaks-vault-7-android-iphone-cia-phones-handsets-tv-smart-julian-assange-a7616651.html\"> "
"spies through their microphones and cameras while making them appear to be "
"turned off</a>. Since the spyware sniffs signals, it bypasses encryption."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The mobile apps for communicating <a "
"href=\"https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/millions-of-smart-cars-vulnerable-due-to-insecure-android-apps/\">with "
"a smart but foolish car have very bad security</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"This is in addition to the fact that the car contains a cellular modem that "
"tells big brother all the time where it is.  If you own such a car, it would "
"be wise to disconnect the modem so as to turn off the tracking."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Samsung phones <a "
"href=\"https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/sms-exploitable-bug-in-samsung-galaxy-phones-can-be-used-for-ransomware-attacks/\">have "
"a security hole that allows an SMS message to install ransomware</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"WhatsApp has a feature that <a "
"href=\"https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/13/encrypted-messaging-platform-whatsapp-denies-backdoor-claim/\"> "
"has been described as a &ldquo;back door&rdquo;</a> because it would enable "
"governments to nullify its encryption."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The developers say that it wasn't intended as a back door, and that may well "
"be true. But that leaves the crucial question of whether it functions as "
"one. Because the program is nonfree, we cannot check by studying it."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The &ldquo;smart&rdquo; toys My Friend Cayla and i-Que can be <a "
"href=\"https://www.forbrukerradet.no/siste-nytt/connected-toys-violate-consumer-laws/\">remotely "
"controlled with a mobile phone</a>; physical access is not necessary. This "
"would enable crackers to listen in on a child's conversations, and even "
"speak into the toys themselves."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"This means a burglar could speak into the toys and ask the child to unlock "
"the front door while Mommy's not looking."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<a "
"href=\"https://techcrunch.com/2016/07/29/research-shows-deleted-whatsapp-messages-arent-actually-deleted/\">&ldquo;Deleted&rdquo; "
"WhatsApp messages are not entirely deleted</a>. They can be recovered in "
"various ways."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"A half-blind security critique of a tracking app: it found that <a "
"href=\"https://www.consumerreports.org/mobile-security-software/glow-pregnancy-app-exposed-women-to-privacy-threats-a1100919965/\"> "
"blatant flaws allowed anyone to snoop on a user's personal data</a>.  The "
"critique fails entirely to express concern that the app sends the personal "
"data to a server, where the <em>developer</em> gets it all.  This "
"&ldquo;service&rdquo; is for suckers!"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The server surely has a &ldquo;privacy policy,&rdquo; and surely it is "
"worthless since nearly all of them are."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"A bug in a proprietary ASN.1 library, used in cell phone towers as well as "
"cell phones and routers, <a "
"href=\"https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/07/software-flaw-puts-mobile-phones-and-networks-at-risk-of-complete-takeover/\">allows "
"taking control of those systems</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Samsung's &ldquo;Smart Home&rdquo; has a big security hole; <a "
"href=\"https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/05/samsung-smart-home-flaws-lets-hackers-make-keys-to-front-door/\"> "
"unauthorized people can remotely control it</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Samsung claims that this is an &ldquo;open&rdquo; platform so the problem is "
"partly the fault of app developers. That is clearly true if the apps are "
"proprietary software."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Anything whose name is &ldquo;Smart&rdquo; is most likely going to screw "
"you."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Many proprietary payment apps <a "
"href=\"https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-10/many-mobile-payments-startups-aren-t-properly-securing-user-data\">transmit "
"personal data in an insecure way</a>. However, the worse aspect of these "
"apps is that <a href=\"/philosophy/surveillance-vs-democracy.html\">payment "
"is not anonymous</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<a "
"href=\"https://phys.org/news/2015-05-app-vulnerability-threatens-millions-users.html\"> "
"Many smartphone apps use insecure authentication methods when storing your "
"personal data on remote servers</a>. This leaves personal information like "
"email addresses, passwords, and health information vulnerable. Because many "
"of these apps are proprietary it makes it hard to impossible to know which "
"apps are at risk."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"An app to prevent &ldquo;identity theft&rdquo; (access to personal data) by "
"storing users' data on a special server <a "
"href=\"https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/05/id-theft-protector-lifelock-deletes-user-data-over-concerns-that-app-isnt-safe/\">was "
"deactivated by its developer</a> which had discovered a security flaw."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"That developer seems to be conscientious about protecting personal data from "
"third parties in general, but it can't protect that data from the state.  "
"Quite the contrary: confiding your data to someone else's server, if not "
"first encrypted by you with free software, undermines your rights."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The <a "
"href=\"https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/02/crypto-weaknesses-in-whatsapp-the-kind-of-stuff-the-nsa-would-love/\">insecurity "
"of WhatsApp</a> makes eavesdropping a snap."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<a "
"href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20180816030205/http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/privacy-scandal-nsa-can-spy-on-smart-phone-data-a-920971.html\"> "
"The NSA can tap data in smart phones, including iPhones, Android, and "
"BlackBerry</a>.  While there is not much detail here, it seems that this "
"does not operate via the universal back door that we know nearly all "
"portable phones have. It may involve exploiting various bugs.  There are <a "
"href=\"https://www.osnews.com/story/27416/the-second-operating-system-hiding-in-every-mobile-phone/\"> "
"lots of bugs in the phones' radio software</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><h3>
msgid "Interference"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid ""
"This section gives examples of mobile apps harassing or annoying the user, "
"or causing trouble for the user.  These actions are like sabotage but the "
"word &ldquo;sabotage&rdquo; is too strong for them."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<a "
"href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20231011121908/https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-remove-ads-on-samsung/\">Samsung's "
"Push Service proprietary app</a> sends notifications to the user's phone "
"about &ldquo;updates&rdquo; in Samsung apps, including the Gaming Hub, but "
"these updates only sometimes have to do with a new version of the apps. Many "
"times, the notifications from Gaming Hub are simply ads for games that they "
"think the user should install based on the data collected from the "
"user. Most importantly, <a "
"href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20240305093416/https://getfastanswer.com/3486/how-to-remove-samsung-push-service-on-a-smartphone\">it "
"cannot be permanently disabled.</a>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The <a "
"href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/weddings-social-media-apps-photos-memories-miscarriage-problem/\">WeddingWire "
"app saves people's wedding photos forever and hands over data to others</a>, "
"giving users no control over their personal information/data. The app also "
"sometimes shows old photos and memories to users, without giving them any "
"control over this either."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Samsung phones come preloaded with <a "
"href=\"https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-08/samsung-phone-users-get-a-shock-they-can-t-delete-facebook\"> "
"a version of the Facebook app that can't be deleted</a>. <a "
"href=\"https://www.infopackets.com/news/10484/truth-behind-undeletable-facebook-app\"> "
"Facebook claims this is a stub</a> which doesn't do anything, but we have to "
"take their word for it, and there is the permanent risk that the app will be "
"activated by an automatic update."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Preloading crapware along with a nonfree operating system is common "
"practice, but by making the crapware undeletable, Facebook and Samsung (<a "
"class=\"not-a-duplicate\" "
"href=\"https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-08/samsung-phone-users-get-a-shock-they-can-t-delete-facebook\">among "
"others</a>)  are going one step further in their hijacking of users' "
"devices."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><h3>
msgid "Manipulation"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The Femm &ldquo;fertility&rdquo; app is secretly a <a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/30/revealed-womens-fertility-app-is-funded-by-anti-abortion-campaigners\"> "
"tool for propaganda</a> by natalist Christians.  It spreads distrust for "
"contraception."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid "It snoops on users, too, as you must expect from nonfree programs."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><h3>
msgid "Sabotage"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<a "
"href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20231213150111/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/12/technology/iphone-repair-apple-control.html\">To "
"block non-Apple repairs, Apple encodes the iMonster serial number in the "
"original parts</a>. This is called &ldquo;parts pairing&rdquo;. Swapping "
"parts between working iMonsters of the same model causes malfunction or "
"disabling of some functionalities. Part replacement may also trigger "
"persistent alerts, unless it is done by an Apple store."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"A new app published by Google <a "
"href=\"https://www.xda-developers.com/google-device-lock-controller-banks-payments/\">lets "
"banks and creditors deactivate people's Android devices</a> if they fail to "
"make payments. If someone's device gets deactivated, it will be limited to "
"basic functionality, such as emergency calling and access to settings."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Samsung is forcing its smartphone users in Hong Kong (and Macau) <a "
"href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20240606175013/https://blog.headuck.com/2020/10/12/samsung-phones-force-mainland-china-dns-service-upon-hong-kong-wifi-users/\">to "
"use a public DNS in Mainland China</a>, using software update released in "
"September 2020, which causes many unease and privacy concerns."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Twenty nine &ldquo;beauty camera&rdquo; apps that used to be on Google Play "
"had one or more malicious functionalities, such as stealing users' photos "
"instead of &ldquo;beautifying&rdquo; them, <a "
"href=\"https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/02/03/google-bans-29-beauty-camera-apps-from-the-play-store-that-steal-your-photos/\"> "
"pushing unwanted and often malicious ads on users, and redirecting them to "
"phishing sites</a> that stole their credentials. Furthermore, the user "
"interface of most of them was designed to make uninstallation difficult."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Users should of course uninstall these dangerous apps if they haven't yet, "
"but they should also stay away from nonfree apps in general. <em>All</em> "
"nonfree apps carry a potential risk because there is no easy way of knowing "
"what they really do."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Apple and Samsung deliberately <a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/oct/24/apple-samsung-fined-for-slowing-down-phones\">degrade "
"the performance of older phones to force users to buy their newer "
"phones</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><h3>
msgid "Surveillance"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid ""
"See above for the general universal back door in essentially all mobile "
"phones, which permits converting them into <a class=\"not-a-duplicate\" "
"href=\"#universal-back-door-phone-modem\"> full-time listening devices</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The Pixel 9 &ldquo;smart&rdquo;phone <a "
"href=\"https://cybernews.com/security/google-pixel-9-phone-beams-data-and-awaits-commands/\"> "
"frequently updates Google servers with its location and current "
"configuration</a> along with personally identifiable data, raising concerns "
"about user privacy. Moreover, it communicates with services that are not in "
"use, and periodically attempts to download experimental, possibly insecure "
"software. The system does not inform the user that it is doing all this."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"There is hope, however: it is possible to <a "
"href=\"https://doc.e.foundation/devices\"> replace the original Android "
"operating system with a deGoogled version</a> in Pixel phones up to 8a, and "
"in phones from many other brands. No doubt that the Pixel 9 will be "
"supported soon."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The Yandex company has started to <a "
"href=\"https://meduza.io/en/feature/2023/08/08/user-x-with-driver-y-traveled-from-point-a-to-point-b\"> "
"give away Yango taxi ride data to Russia's Federal Security Service "
"(FSB)</a>. The Russian government (and whoever else receives the the data) "
"thus has access to a wealth of personal information, including who traveled "
"where, when, and with which driver. Yandex <a "
"href=\"https://yandex.ru/legal/confidential/?lang=en\"> claims that it "
"complies with European regulations</a> for data collected in the European "
"Economic Area, Switzerland or Israel.  But what about the rest of the world?"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The Pinduoduo app <a "
"href=\"https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/02/tech/china-pinduoduo-malware-cybersecurity-analysis-intl-hnk/index.html\"> "
"snoops on other apps, and takes control of them</a>.  It also installs "
"additional malware that is hard to remove."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Canada has fined the company Tim Hortons for making <a "
"href=\"https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/06/tim-hortons-coffee-app-broke-law-by-constantly-recording-users-movements/\"> "
"an app that tracks people's movements</a> to learn things such as where they "
"live, where they work, and when they visit competitors' stores."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The data broker X-Mode <a "
"href=\"https://themarkup.org/privacy/2022/01/27/gay-bi-dating-app-muslim-prayer-apps-sold-data-on-peoples-location-to-a-controversial-data-broker\">bought "
"location data about 20,000 people collected by around 100 different "
"malicious apps</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/jun/17/nine-out-of-10-health-apps-harvest-user-data-global-study-shows\">Almost "
"all proprietary health apps harvest users' data</a>, including sensitive "
"health information, tracking identifiers, and cookies to track user "
"activities. Some of these applications are tracking users across different "
"platforms."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<a "
"href=\"https://techcrunch.com/2021/06/03/tiktok-just-gave-itself-permission-to-collect-biometric-data-on-u-s-users-including-faceprints-and-voiceprints/\">TikTok "
"apps collect biometric identifiers and biometric information from users' "
"smartphones</a>. The company behind it does whatever it wants and collects "
"whatever data it can."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The proprietary program Clubhouse is malware and a privacy "
"disaster. Clubhouse <a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/feb/20/why-hot-new-social-app-clubhouse-spells-nothing-but-trouble\">collects "
"people's personal data such as recordings of people's conversations</a>, "
"and, as a secondary problem, does not encrypt them, which shows a bad "
"security part of the issue."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"A user's unique Clubhouse ID number and chatroom ID are transmitted in "
"plaintext, and Agora (the company behind the app) would likely have access "
"to users' raw audio, potentially providing access to the Chinese government."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Even with good security of data transmission, collecting personal data of "
"people is wrong and a violation of people's privacy rights."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Many cr&hellip;apps, developed by various companies for various "
"organizations, do <a "
"href=\"https://www.expressvpn.com/digital-security-lab/investigation-xoth\"> "
"location tracking unknown to those companies and those organizations</a>.  "
"It's actually some widely used libraries that do the tracking."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"What's unusual here is that proprietary software developer A tricks "
"proprietary software developers B1 &hellip; B50 into making platforms for A "
"to mistreat the end user."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Baidu apps were <a "
"href=\"https://www.zdnet.com/article/baidus-android-apps-caught-collecting-sensitive-user-details/\"> "
"caught collecting sensitive personal data</a> that can be used for lifetime "
"tracking of users, and putting them in danger. More than 1.4 billion people "
"worldwide are affected by these proprietary apps, and users' privacy is "
"jeopardized by this surveillance tool. Data collected by Baidu may be handed "
"over to the Chinese government, possibly putting Chinese people in danger."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Most apps are malware, but Trump's campaign app, like Modi's campaign app, "
"is <a "
"href=\"https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/06/21/1004228/trumps-data-hungry-invasive-app-is-a-voter-surveillance-tool-of-extraordinary-scope/\"> "
"especially nasty malware, helping companies snoop on users as well as "
"snooping on them itself</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The article says that Biden's app has a less manipulative overall approach, "
"but that does not tell us whether it has functionalities we consider "
"malicious, such as sending data the user has not explicitly asked to send."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Xiaomi phones <a "
"href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2020/04/30/exclusive-warning-over-chinese-mobile-giant-xiaomi-recording-millions-of-peoples-private-web-and-phone-use/\">report "
"many actions the user takes</a>: starting an app, looking at a folder, "
"visiting a website, listening to a song.  They send device identifying "
"information too."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Other nonfree programs snoop too. For instance, Spotify and other streaming "
"dis-services make a dossier about each user, and <a "
"href=\"/malware/proprietary-surveillance.html#M201508210\"> they make users "
"identify themselves to pay</a>.  Out, out, damned Spotify!"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Forbes exonerates the same wrongs when the culprits are not Chinese, but we "
"condemn this no matter who does it."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Google, Apple, and Microsoft (and probably some other companies)  <a "
"href=\"https://www.lifewire.com/wifi-positioning-system-1683343\">are "
"collecting people's access points and GPS coordinates (which can identify "
"people's precise location) even if their GPS is turned off</a>, without the "
"person's consent, using proprietary software implemented in person's "
"smartphone. Though merely asking for permission would not necessarily "
"legitimize this."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The Alipay Health Code app estimates whether the user has Covid-19 and <a "
"href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/01/business/china-coronavirus-surveillance.html\"> "
"tells the cops directly</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The ToToc messaging app seems to be a <a "
"href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/22/us/politics/totok-app-uae.html\"> "
"spying tool for the government of the United Arab Emirates</a>.  Any nonfree "
"program could be doing this, and that is a good reason to use free software "
"instead."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<small>Note: this article uses the word &ldquo;free&rdquo; in the sense of "
"&ldquo;gratis.&rdquo;</small>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"iMonsters and Android phones, when used for work, give employers powerful <a "
"href=\"https://www.fastcompany.com/90440073/if-you-use-your-personal-phone-for-work-say-goodbye-to-your-privacy\"> "
"snooping and sabotage capabilities</a> if they install their own software on "
"the device.  Many employers demand to do this.  For the employee, this is "
"simply nonfree software, as fundamentally unjust and as dangerous as any "
"other nonfree software."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The Facebook app <a "
"href=\"https://eu.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2019/09/09/facebook-app-social-network-tracking-your-every-move/2270305001/\"> "
"tracks users even when it is turned off</a>, after tricking them into giving "
"the app broad permissions in order to use one of its functionalities."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Some nonfree period-tracking apps including MIA Fem and Maya <a "
"href=\"https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/meghara/period-tracker-apps-facebook-maya-mia-fem\"> "
"send intimate details of users' lives to Facebook</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Keeping track of who downloads a proprietary program is a form of "
"surveillance.  There is a proprietary program for adjusting a certain "
"telescopic rifle sight. <a "
"href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2019/09/06/exclusive-feds-demand-apple-and-google-hand-over-names-of-10000-users-of-a-gun-scope-app/\"> "
"A US prosecutor has demanded the list of all the 10,000 or more people who "
"have installed it</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid "With a free program there would not be a list of who has installed it."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Many unscrupulous mobile-app developers keep finding ways to <a "
"href=\"https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/more-than-1000-android-apps-harvest-your-data-even-after-you-deny-permissions/\"> "
"bypass user's settings</a>, regulations, and privacy-enhancing features of "
"the operating system, in order to gather as much private data as they "
"possibly can."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Thus, we can't trust rules against spying.  What we can trust is having "
"control over the software we run."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Many Android apps can track users' movements even when the user says <a "
"href=\"https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/8/20686514/android-covert-channel-permissions-data-collection-imei-ssid-location\"> "
"not to allow them access to locations</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"This involves an apparently unintentional weakness in Android, exploited "
"intentionally by malicious apps."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"In spite of Apple's supposed commitment to privacy, iPhone apps contain "
"trackers that are busy at night <a "
"href=\"https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2019/05/its-3-am-do-you-know-who-your-iphone-is-talking-to.html\"> "
"sending users' personal information to third parties</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The article mentions specific examples: Microsoft OneDrive, Intuit's Mint, "
"Nike, Spotify, The Washington Post, The Weather Channel (owned by IBM), the "
"crime-alert service Citizen, Yelp and DoorDash. But it is likely that most "
"nonfree apps contain trackers. Some of these send personally identifying "
"data such as phone fingerprint, exact location, email address, phone number "
"or even delivery address (in the case of DoorDash). Once this information is "
"collected by the company, there is no telling what it will be used for."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"BlizzCon 2019 imposed a <a "
"href=\"https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/05/blizzcon-2019-tickets-revolve-around-invasive-poorly-reviewed-smartphone-app/\"> "
"requirement to run a proprietary phone app</a> to be allowed into the event."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"This app is a spyware that can snoop on a lot of sensitive data, including "
"user's location and contact list, and has <a "
"href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20220321042716/https://old.reddit.com/r/wow/comments/bkd5ew/you_need_to_have_a_phone_to_attend_blizzcon_this/emg38xv/\"> "
"near-complete control</a> over the phone."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Data collected by menstrual and pregnancy monitoring apps is often <a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/13/theres-a-dark-side-to-womens-health-apps-menstrual-surveillance\"> "
"available to employers and insurance companies</a>. Even though the data is "
"&ldquo;anonymized and aggregated,&rdquo; it can easily be traced back to the "
"woman who uses the app."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"This has harmful implications for women's rights to equal employment and "
"freedom to make their own pregnancy choices. Don't use these apps, even if "
"someone offers you a reward to do so. A free-software app that does more or "
"less the same thing without spying on you is available from <a "
"href=\"https://search.f-droid.org/?q=menstr\">F-Droid</a>, and <a "
"href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20231230011724/https://dcs.megaphone.fm/BLM6228935164.mp3?key=23a58d3f686794e6d8b8678a5204887b&amp;request_event_id=36469053-3d0b-4724-bf2d-6dbeeeac282e\"> "
"a new one is being developed</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Many Android phones come with a huge number of <a "
"href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20190326145122/https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/03/22/inenglish/1553244778_819882.html\"> "
"preinstalled nonfree apps that have access to sensitive data without users' "
"knowledge</a>. These hidden apps may either call home with the data, or pass "
"it on to user-installed apps that have access to the network but no direct "
"access to the data. This results in massive surveillance on which the user "
"has absolutely no control."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The MoviePass dis-service <a "
"href=\"https://www.cnet.com/culture/entertainment/moviepass-founder-wants-to-use-facial-recognition-to-score-you-free-movies/\"> "
"is planning to use face recognition to track people's eyes</a> to make sure "
"they won't put their phones down or look away during ads&mdash;and trackers."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"A study of 24 &ldquo;health&rdquo; apps found that 19 of them <a "
"href=\"https://www.vice.com/en/article/pan9e8/health-apps-can-share-your-data-everywhere-new-study-shows\"> "
"send sensitive personal data to third parties</a>, which can use it for "
"invasive advertising or discriminating against people in poor medical "
"condition."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Whenever user &ldquo;consent&rdquo; is sought, it is buried in lengthy terms "
"of service that are difficult to understand. In any case, "
"&ldquo;consent&rdquo; is not sufficient to legitimize snooping."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Facebook offered a convenient proprietary library for building mobile apps, "
"which also <a "
"href=\"https://boingboing.net/2019/02/23/surveillance-zucksterism.html\"> "
"sent personal data to Facebook</a>. Lots of companies built apps that way "
"and released them, apparently not realizing that all the personal data they "
"collected would go to Facebook as well."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"It shows that no one can trust a nonfree program, not even the developers of "
"other nonfree programs."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The AppCensus database gives information on <a "
"href=\"https://www.appcensus.io/\"> how Android apps use and misuse users' "
"personal data</a>. As of March 2019, nearly 78,000 have been analyzed, of "
"which 24,000 (31%) transmit the <a "
"href=\"/proprietary/proprietary-surveillance.html#M201812290\"> Advertising "
"ID</a> to other companies, and <a "
"href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20240501141046/https://blog.appcensus.io/2019/02/14/ad-ids-behaving-badly/\"> "
"18,000 (23% of the total) link this ID to hardware identifiers</a>, so that "
"users cannot escape tracking by resetting it."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Collecting hardware identifiers is in apparent violation of Google's "
"policies. But it seems that Google wasn't aware of it, and, once informed, "
"was in no hurry to take action. This proves that the policies of a "
"development platform are ineffective at preventing nonfree software "
"developers from including malware in their programs."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Many nonfree apps have a surveillance feature for <a "
"href=\"https://techcrunch.com/2019/02/06/iphone-session-replay-screenshots/\"> "
"recording all the users' actions</a> in interacting with the app."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"An investigation of the 150 most popular gratis VPN apps in Google Play "
"found that <a "
"href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/research/free-vpn-investigations/risk-index/\"> "
"25% fail to protect their users' privacy</a> due to DNS leaks. In addition, "
"85% feature intrusive permissions or functions in their source "
"code&mdash;often used for invasive advertising&mdash;that could potentially "
"also be used to spy on users. Other technical flaws were found as well."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Moreover, a previous investigation had found that <a "
"href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/research/free-vpn-investigations/ownership/\">half "
"of the top 10 gratis VPN apps have lousy privacy policies</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<small>(It is unfortunate that these articles talk about &ldquo;free "
"apps.&rdquo; These apps are gratis, but they are <em>not</em> <a "
"href=\"/philosophy/free-sw.html\">free software</a>.)</small>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The Weather Channel app <a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/jan/04/weather-channel-app-lawsuit-location-data-selling\"> "
"stored users' locations to the company's server</a>. The company is being "
"sued, demanding that it notify the users of what it will do with the data."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"We think that lawsuit is about a side issue. What the company does with the "
"data is a secondary issue. The principal wrong here is that the company gets "
"that data at all."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<a "
"href=\"https://www.vice.com/en/article/gy77wy/stop-using-third-party-weather-apps\"> "
"Other weather apps</a>, including Accuweather and WeatherBug, are tracking "
"people's locations."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Around 40% of gratis Android apps <a "
"href=\"https://privacyinternational.org/report/2647/how-apps-android-share-data-facebook-report\"> "
"report on the user's actions to Facebook</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Often they send the machine's &ldquo;advertising ID,&rdquo; so that Facebook "
"can correlate the data it obtains from the same machine via various "
"apps. Some of them send Facebook detailed information about the user's "
"activities in the app; others only say that the user is using that app, but "
"that alone is often quite informative."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid "This spying occurs regardless of whether the user has a Facebook account."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Facebook's app got &ldquo;consent&rdquo; to <a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/dec/06/facebook-emails-reveal-discussions-over-call-log-consent\"> "
"upload call logs automatically from Android phones</a> while disguising what "
"the &ldquo;consent&rdquo; was for."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Some Android apps <a "
"href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20210418052600/https://www.androidauthority.com/apps-uninstall-trackers-917539/amp/\"> "
"track the phones of users that have deleted them</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The Spanish football streaming app <a "
"href=\"https://boingboing.net/2018/06/11/spanish-football-app-turns-use.html\">tracks "
"the user's movements and listens through the microphone</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid "This makes them act as spies for licensing enforcement."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"We expect it implements DRM, too&mdash;that there is no way to save a "
"recording. But we can't be sure from the article."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"If you learn to care much less about sports, you will benefit in many "
"ways. This is one more."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"More than <a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/apr/16/child-apps-games-android-us-google-play-store-data-sharing-law-privacy\">50% "
"of the 5,855 Android apps studied by researchers were found to snoop and "
"collect information about its users</a>.  40% of the apps were found to "
"insecurely snitch on its users.  Furthermore, they could detect only some "
"methods of snooping, in these proprietary apps whose source code they cannot "
"look at.  The other apps might be snooping in other ways."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"This is evidence that proprietary apps generally work against their users.  "
"To protect their privacy and freedom, Android users need to get rid of the "
"proprietary software&mdash;both proprietary Android by <a "
"href=\"https://replicant.us\">switching to Replicant</a>, and the "
"proprietary apps by getting apps from the free software only <a "
"href=\"https://f-droid.org/\">F-Droid store</a> that <a "
"href=\"https://f-droid.org/docs/Anti-Features/\"> prominently warns the user "
"if an app contains anti-features</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Grindr collects information about <a "
"href=\"https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/04/02/egregious-breach-privacy-popular-app-grindr-supplies-third-parties-users-hiv-status\"> "
"which users are HIV-positive, then provides the information to "
"companies</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Grindr should not have so much information about its users.  It could be "
"designed so that users communicate such info to each other but not to the "
"server's database."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The moviepass app and dis-service spy on users even more than users "
"expected. It <a "
"href=\"https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/05/moviepass-ceo-proudly-says-the-app-tracks-your-location-before-and-after-movies/\">records "
"where they travel before and after going to a movie</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid "Don't be tracked&mdash;pay cash!"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Tracking software in popular Android apps is pervasive and sometimes very "
"clever. Some trackers can <a "
"href=\"https://theintercept.com/2017/11/24/staggering-variety-of-clandestine-trackers-found-in-popular-android-apps/\"> "
"follow a user's movements around a physical store by noticing WiFi "
"networks</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"AI-powered driving apps can <a "
"href=\"https://www.vice.com/en/article/43nz9p/ai-powered-driving-apps-can-track-your-every-move\"> "
"track your every move</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The Sarahah app <a "
"href=\"https://theintercept.com/2017/08/27/hit-app-sarahah-quietly-uploads-your-address-book/\"> "
"uploads all phone numbers and email addresses</a> in user's address book to "
"developer's server."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<small>(Note that this article misuses the words &ldquo;<a "
"href=\"/philosophy/free-sw.html\">free software</a>&rdquo; referring to zero "
"price.)</small>"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"20 dishonest Android apps recorded <a "
"href=\"https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/07/stealthy-google-play-apps-recorded-calls-and-stole-e-mails-and-texts/\">phone "
"calls and sent them and text messages and emails to snoopers</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Google did not intend to make these apps spy; on the contrary, it worked in "
"various ways to prevent that, and deleted these apps after discovering what "
"they did. So we cannot blame Google specifically for the snooping of these "
"apps."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"On the other hand, Google redistributes nonfree Android apps, and therefore "
"shares in the responsibility for the injustice of their being nonfree. It "
"also distributes its own nonfree apps, such as Google Play, <a "
"href=\"/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html\">which are "
"malicious</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Could Google have done a better job of preventing apps from cheating? There "
"is no systematic way for Google, or Android users, to inspect executable "
"proprietary apps to see what they do."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Google could demand the source code for these apps, and study the source "
"code somehow to determine whether they mistreat users in various ways. If it "
"did a good job of this, it could more or less prevent such snooping, except "
"when the app developers are clever enough to outsmart the checking."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"But since Google itself develops malicious apps, we cannot trust Google to "
"protect us. We must demand release of source code to the public, so we can "
"depend on each other."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Apps for BART <a "
"href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20171124190046/https://consumerist.com/2017/05/23/passengers-say-commuter-rail-app-illegally-collects-personal-user-data/\"> "
"snoop on users</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"With free software apps, users could <em>make sure</em> that they don't "
"snoop."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid "With proprietary apps, one can only hope that they don't."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"A study found 234 Android apps that track users by <a "
"href=\"https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/234-android-applications-are-currently-using-ultrasonic-beacons-to-track-users/\">listening "
"to ultrasound from beacons placed in stores or played by TV programs</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Faceapp appears to do lots of surveillance, judging by <a "
"href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20170426191242/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2017/04/26/everything-thats-wrong-with-faceapp-the-latest-creepy-photo-app-for-your-face/\"> "
"how much access it demands to personal data in the device</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Users are suing Bose for <a "
"href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20170423010030/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/04/19/bose-headphones-have-been-spying-on-their-customers-lawsuit-claims/\"> "
"distributing a spyware app for its headphones</a>.  Specifically, the app "
"would record the names of the audio files users listen to along with the "
"headphone's unique serial number."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The suit accuses that this was done without the users' consent.  If the fine "
"print of the app said that users gave consent for this, would that make it "
"acceptable? No way! It should be flat out <a "
"href=\"/philosophy/surveillance-vs-democracy.html\"> illegal to design the "
"app to snoop at all</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Pairs of Android apps can collude to transmit users' personal data to "
"servers. <a "
"href=\"https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/04/when-apps-collude-to-steal-your-data/522177/\">A "
"study found tens of thousands of pairs that collude</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Verizon <a "
"href=\"https://yro.slashdot.org/story/17/03/30/0112259/verizon-to-force-appflash-spyware-on-android-phones\"> "
"announced an opt-in proprietary search app that it will</a> pre-install on "
"some of its phones. The app will give Verizon the same information about the "
"users' searches that Google normally gets when they use its search engine."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Currently, the app is <a "
"href=\"https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/04/update-verizons-appflash-pre-installed-spyware-still-spyware\"> "
"being pre-installed on only one phone</a>, and the user must explicitly "
"opt-in before the app takes effect. However, the app remains "
"spyware&mdash;an &ldquo;optional&rdquo; piece of spyware is still spyware."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"A computerized vibrator <a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/aug/10/vibrator-phone-app-we-vibe-4-plus-bluetooth-hack\"> "
"was snooping on its users through the proprietary control app</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The app was reporting the temperature of the vibrator minute by minute "
"(thus, indirectly, whether it was surrounded by a person's body), as well as "
"the vibration frequency."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Note the totally inadequate proposed response: a labeling standard with "
"which manufacturers would make statements about their products, rather than "
"free software which users could have checked and changed."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The company that made the vibrator <a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/14/wevibe-sex-toy-data-collection-chicago-lawsuit\"> "
"was sued for collecting lots of personal information about how people used "
"it</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The company's statement that it was anonymizing the data may be true, but it "
"doesn't really matter. If it had sold the data to a data broker, the data "
"broker would have been able to figure out who the user was."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Following this lawsuit, <a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/mar/14/we-vibe-vibrator-tracking-users-sexual-habits\"> "
"the company has been ordered to pay a total of C$4m</a> to its customers."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The Meitu photo-editing app <a "
"href=\"https://theintercept.com/2017/01/21/popular-selfie-app-sending-user-data-to-china-researchers-say/\">sends "
"user data to a Chinese company</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The Uber app tracks <a "
"href=\"https://techcrunch.com/2016/11/28/uber-background-location-data-collection/\">clients' "
"movements before and after the ride</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"This example illustrates how &ldquo;getting the user's consent&rdquo; for "
"surveillance is inadequate as a protection against massive surveillance."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"A <a "
"href=\"https://research.csiro.au/isp/wp-content/uploads/sites/106/2016/08/paper-1.pdf\"> "
"research paper</a> that investigated the privacy and security of 283 Android "
"VPN apps concluded that &ldquo;in spite of the promises for privacy, "
"security, and anonymity given by the majority of VPN apps&mdash;millions of "
"users may be unawarely subject to poor security guarantees and abusive "
"practices inflicted by VPN apps.&rdquo;"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Following is a non-exhaustive list, taken from the research paper, of some "
"proprietary VPN apps that track users and infringe their privacy:"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><dl><dt>
msgid "SurfEasy"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><dl><dd>
msgid ""
"Includes tracking libraries such as NativeX and Appflood, meant to track "
"users and show them targeted ads."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><dl><dt>
msgid "sFly Network Booster"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><dl><dd>
msgid ""
"Requests the <code>READ_SMS</code> and <code>SEND_SMS</code> permissions "
"upon installation, meaning it has full access to users' text messages."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><dl><dt>
msgid "DroidVPN and TigerVPN"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><dl><dd>
msgid ""
"Requests the <code>READ_LOGS</code> permission to read logs for other apps "
"and also core system logs. TigerVPN developers have confirmed this."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><dl><dt>
msgid "HideMyAss"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><dl><dd>
msgid ""
"Sends traffic to LinkedIn. Also, it stores detailed logs and may turn them "
"over to the UK government if requested."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><dl><dt>
msgid "VPN Services HotspotShield"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><dl><dd>
msgid ""
"Injects JavaScript code into the HTML pages returned to the users. The "
"stated purpose of the JS injection is to display ads. Uses roughly five "
"tracking libraries. Also, it redirects the user's traffic through "
"valueclick.com (an advertising website)."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><dl><dt>
msgid "WiFi Protector VPN"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><dl><dd>
msgid ""
"Injects JavaScript code into HTML pages, and also uses roughly five tracking "
"libraries. Developers of this app have confirmed that the non-premium "
"version of the app does JavaScript injection for tracking the user and "
"displaying ads."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Some portable phones <a "
"href=\"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kryptowire-discovered-mobile-phone-firmware-that-transmitted-personally-identifiable-information-pii-without-user-consent-or-disclosure-300362844.html\">are "
"sold with spyware sending lots of data to China</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Facebook's new Magic Photo app <a "
"href=\"https://www.theregister.com/2015/11/10/facebook_scans_camera_for_your_friends/\"> "
"scans your mobile phone's photo collections for known faces</a>, and "
"suggests you circulate the picture you take according to who is in the "
"frame."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"This spyware feature seems to require online access to some known-faces "
"database, which means the pictures are likely to be sent across the wire to "
"Facebook's servers and face-recognition algorithms."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"If so, none of Facebook users' pictures are private anymore, even if the "
"user didn't &ldquo;upload&rdquo; them to the service."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Facebook's app listens all the time, <a "
"href=\"https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/facebook-using-people-s-phones-to-listen-in-on-what-they-re-saying-claims-professor-a7057526.html\">to "
"snoop on what people are listening to or watching</a>. In addition, it may "
"be analyzing people's conversations to serve them with targeted "
"advertisements."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"A pregnancy test controller application not only can <a "
"href=\"https://www.theverge.com/2016/4/25/11503718/first-response-pregnancy-pro-test-bluetooth-app-security\"> "
"spy on many sorts of data in the phone, and in server accounts, it can alter "
"them too</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Apps that include <a "
"href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20180913014551/http://techaeris.com/2016/01/13/symphony-advanced-media-software-tracks-your-digital-life-through-your-smartphone-mic/\"> "
"Symphony surveillance software snoop on what radio and TV programs are "
"playing nearby</a>.  Also on what users post on various sites such as "
"Facebook, Google+ and Twitter."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The natural extension of monitoring people through &ldquo;their&rdquo; "
"phones is <a "
"href=\"https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2016/01/fool-activity-tracker\"> "
"proprietary software to make sure they can't &ldquo;fool&rdquo; the "
"monitoring</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"&ldquo;Cryptic communication,&rdquo; unrelated to the app's functionality, "
"was <a "
"href=\"https://news.mit.edu/2015/data-transferred-android-apps-hiding-1119\"> "
"found in the 500 most popular gratis Android apps</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The article should not have described these apps as "
"&ldquo;free&rdquo;&mdash;they are not free software.  The clear way to say "
"&ldquo;zero price&rdquo; is &ldquo;gratis.&rdquo;"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The article takes for granted that the usual analytics tools are legitimate, "
"but is that valid? Software developers have no right to analyze what users "
"are doing or how.  &ldquo;Analytics&rdquo; tools that snoop are just as "
"wrong as any other snooping."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"More than 73% and 47% of mobile applications, for Android and iOS "
"respectively <a href=\"https://techscience.org/a/2015103001/\">hand over "
"personal, behavioral and location information</a> of their users to third "
"parties."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"According to Edward Snowden, <a "
"href=\"https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34444233\">agencies can take over "
"smartphones</a> by sending hidden text messages which enable them to turn "
"the phones on and off, listen to the microphone, retrieve geo-location data "
"from the GPS, take photographs, read text messages, read call, location and "
"web browsing history, and read the contact list. This malware is designed to "
"disguise itself from investigation."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Like most &ldquo;music screaming&rdquo; disservices, Spotify is based on "
"proprietary malware (DRM and snooping). In August 2015 it <a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/aug/21/spotify-faces-user-backlash-over-new-privacy-policy\"> "
"demanded users submit to increased snooping</a>, and some are starting to "
"realize that it is nasty."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"This article shows the <a "
"href=\"https://www.theregister.com/2015/08/21/spotify_worse_than_the_nsa/\"> "
"twisted ways that they present snooping as a way to &ldquo;serve&rdquo; "
"users better</a>&mdash;never mind whether they want that. This is a typical "
"example of the attitude of the proprietary software industry towards those "
"they have subjugated."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid "Out, out, damned Spotify!"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Many retail businesses publish cr&hellip;apps that ask to <a "
"href=\"https://www.delish.com/kitchen-tools/a43252/how-food-apps-use-data/\"> "
"spy on the user's own data</a>&mdash;often many kinds."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Those companies know that snoop-phone usage trains people to say yes to "
"almost any snooping."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Samsung phones come with <a "
"href=\"https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/07/samsung-sued-for-loading-devices-with-unremovable-crapware-in-china/\">apps "
"that users can't delete</a>, and they send so much data that their "
"transmission is a substantial expense for users.  Said transmission, not "
"wanted or requested by the user, clearly must constitute spying of some "
"kind."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<a "
"href=\"https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~arb33/papers/FerreiraEtAl-Securacy-WiSec2015.pdf\"> "
"A study in 2015</a> found that 90% of the top-ranked gratis proprietary "
"Android apps contained recognizable tracking libraries. For the paid "
"proprietary apps, it was only 60%."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The article confusingly describes gratis apps as &ldquo;free&rdquo;, but "
"most of them are not in fact <a href=\"/philosophy/free-sw.html\">free "
"software</a>.  It also uses the ugly word &ldquo;monetize&rdquo;. A good "
"replacement for that word is &ldquo;exploit&rdquo;; nearly always that will "
"fit perfectly."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Gratis Android apps (but not <a href=\"/philosophy/free-sw.html\">free "
"software</a>) connect to 100 <a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/may/06/free-android-apps-connect-tracking-advertising-websites\">tracking "
"and advertising</a> URLs, on the average."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Widely used <a "
"href=\"https://freedom-to-tinker.com/2015/04/06/scan-this-or-scan-me-user-privacy-barcode-scanning-applications/\">proprietary "
"QR-code scanner apps snoop on the user</a>. This is in addition to the "
"snooping done by the phone company, and perhaps by the OS in the phone."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Don't be distracted by the question of whether the app developers get users "
"to say &ldquo;I agree&rdquo;. That is no excuse for malware."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Many proprietary apps for mobile devices report which other apps the user "
"has installed.  <a "
"href=\"https://techcrunch.com/2014/11/26/twitter-app-graph/\">Twitter is "
"doing this in a way that at least is visible and optional</a>. Not as bad as "
"what the others do."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<a href=\"/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html#samsung\"> Samsung's back "
"door</a> provides access to any file on the system."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The Simeji keyboard is a smartphone version of Baidu's <a "
"href=\"/proprietary/proprietary-surveillance.html#baidu-ime\">spying <abbr "
"title=\"Input Method Editor\">IME</abbr></a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The nonfree Snapchat app's principal purpose is to restrict the use of data "
"on the user's computer, but it does surveillance too: <a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/dec/27/snapchat-may-be-exposed-hackers\"> "
"it tries to get the user's list of other people's phone numbers</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The Brightest Flashlight app <a "
"href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/dec/06/android-app-50m-downloads-sent-data-advertisers\"> "
"sends user data, including geolocation, for use by companies</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"The FTC criticized this app because it asked the user to approve sending "
"personal data to the app developer but did not ask about sending it to other "
"companies.  This shows the weakness of the reject-it-if-you-dislike-snooping "
"&ldquo;solution&rdquo; to surveillance: why should a flashlight app send any "
"information to anyone? A free software flashlight app would not."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Portable phones with GPS <a "
"href=\"https://www.aclu.org/issues/privacy-technology/location-tracking/you-are-being-tracked\"> "
"will send their GPS location on remote command, and users cannot stop "
"them</a>. (The US says it will eventually require all new portable phones to "
"have GPS.)"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"FTC says most mobile apps for children don't respect privacy: <a "
"href=\"https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/12/ftc-disclosures-severely-lacking-in-kids-mobile-appsand-its-getting-worse/\"> "
"https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/12/ftc-disclosures-severely-lacking-in-kids-mobile-appsand-its-getting-worse/</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"Some manufacturers add a <a "
"href=\"https://androidsecuritytest.com/features/logs-and-services/loggers/carrieriq/\"> "
"hidden general surveillance package such as Carrier IQ</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><h3>
msgid "Jails"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid "Jails are systems that impose censorship on application programs."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<a "
"href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20190917162027/https://www.itworld.com/article/2832657/microsoft-metro-app-store-lock-down.html\"> "
"Windows 8 on &ldquo;mobile devices&rdquo; (now defunct) was a jail</a>."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><h3>
msgid "Tyrants"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid ""
"Tyrants are systems that reject any operating system not "
"&ldquo;authorized&rdquo; by the manufacturer."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><ul><li><p>
msgid ""
"<a href=\"https://www.fsf.org/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot/\"> "
"Mobile devices that come with Windows 8 are tyrants</a>."
msgstr ""

#. TRANSLATORS: Use space (SPC) as msgstr if you don't have notes.
#. type: Content of: <div><div>
msgid "*GNUN-SLOT: TRANSLATOR'S NOTES*"
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid ""
"Please send general FSF &amp; GNU inquiries to <a "
"href=\"mailto:gnu@gnu.org\">&lt;gnu@gnu.org&gt;</a>.  There are also <a "
"href=\"/contact/\">other ways to contact</a> the FSF.  Broken links and "
"other corrections or suggestions can be sent to <a "
"href=\"mailto:webmasters@gnu.org\">&lt;webmasters@gnu.org&gt;</a>."
msgstr ""

#.  TRANSLATORS: Ignore the original text in this paragraph,
#.         replace it with the translation of these two:
#
#.         We work hard and do our best to provide accurate, good quality
#.         translations.  However, we are not exempt from imperfection.
#.         Please send your comments and general suggestions in this regard
#.         to <a href="mailto:web-translators@gnu.org">
#
#.         &lt;web-translators@gnu.org&gt;</a>.</p>
#
#.         <p>For information on coordinating and contributing translations of
#.         our web pages, see <a
#.         href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations
#.         README</a>. 
#. type: Content of: <div><div><p>
msgid ""
"Please see the <a "
"href=\"/server/standards/README.translations.html\">Translations README</a> "
"for information on coordinating and contributing translations of this "
"article."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><p>
msgid "Copyright &copy; 2014-2025 Free Software Foundation, Inc."
msgstr ""

#. type: Content of: <div><p>
msgid ""
"This page is licensed under a <a rel=\"license\" "
"href=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/\">Creative Commons "
"Attribution 4.0 International License</a>."
msgstr ""

#. TRANSLATORS: Use space (SPC) as msgstr if you don't want credits.
#. type: Content of: <div><div>
msgid "*GNUN-SLOT: TRANSLATOR'S CREDITS*"
msgstr ""

#.  timestamp start 
#. type: Content of: <div><p>
msgid "Updated:"
msgstr ""