Database Info

Personal Data Collection / What to avoid

I'm shocked at the number of mobile apps that blatently collect our personal information. I would like to compile a list of developers and apps that collect this information so we can better avoid them.
In the PC world, developers are highly scrutinized for their data collection policies. Facebook made headlines when their policy changed to retain the rights to everything you upload to their servers. Android apps on the other hand are filled with such violations of our privacy, and there is very little awareness of this.
I believe if we users show our concerns and publicly shame them for this practice, we can start to turn the App store around, and maybe enjoy some games that we were not comfortable with installing before.
Glu Games (Guitar Hero, Deer Hunter 3D, Front line Commando, + more)
http://www.glu.com/privacy
- Personally Identifying Information (Telephone Number, Full Name, Location and Contact info, Friends contact info, Unique Device ID)
- Data from 3rd party services (Google Play, iTunes, Amazon Appstore, Openfeint, Facebook)
- Does not inform you of policy changes.
Openfeint / Gree (Modern War, Crime City, Zombie Ace, + more)
http://product.gree.net/us/en/privacy
- Personally Identifying Information (Telephone Number, Contacts, Email Addresses,)
- 3rd party Data Collectors not covered by Gree Privacy Policy
- Does not inform you of policy changes
More to come... please feel free to add your own observations, suggestions or corrections and ill try to update the list regularly

These are developers who have exceptionally good privacy policies. They deserve our respect and thanks.
Vector Unit (Riptide, Shine Runner, Beach Buggy Blitz, + more)
http://www.vectorunit.com/privacy/
- No data collection!
- Does utilize openfeint in 2 games, waiting on email reply for details on what is shared.

Ideas for mobile app

So, I'm in an interface design class and one of the more appealing options for an assignment was to make an application for mobile (we've been given 7 weeks to complete it but need to do at least 500 words of development discussion a week even if I somehow finish before then). I'm both glad this was one of the options as I've wanted to make something for a while now (though I seem to have misplaced my idea list) and a little nervous.
Right now I'm thinking something simple, does anyone have any ideas? This week will primarily be research for the professors journal requirements I think.

I will be happy to answer you
However there is no limit of app ideas, but in a simplest way if you are at the learning stage then I would like to recommend you to create an app with simple functionality with simple UI. Some of the examples I want to suggest here is chat application, book reviews, music app, photo sharing etc

Have you ever done one of these murder mystery dinners? They are pretty great, but usually limited to the one box / set of cards you buy. Maybe there is some benefit in bringing this game to the phone / tablet where you have GPS, camera, etc.?

What would I need in order to make a music or video player, or a chat application?
Sharing data sounds tricky.
Murder Mystery sounds interesting, however as it's a game sounds like I'd have to make a ton more assets to make it worthwhile.
One of the other ideas I had was to make a heartrate monitor with in-built journal. I know several of the monitors on the app store charge for the journaling feature. Alas I know not much about how they function other than they use the camera to measure the pulse in your finger.

PHONE-A-TAXI is an exclusive app that may be used in the event of being stranded. With GPS technology, it would detect the nearest taxi rank for whoever has subscribed to the service. To operate this app, one must telephone the taxi company in order to charter a taxi from the person’s exact location, and send it straight to the passenger.
How you would make money?
The app would be free for consumers but, in order to absorb the marketing costs, the developer could charge taxi firms a monthly subscription fee. They could also utilize the existence of social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc. to promote the app to potential consumers. The bigger the client base, the more you can charge the taxi firm annually, which would also be beneficial to the taxi company.

[APP][4.1+] FINANSIA - Personal Finance

FINANSIA is a financial application for smartphone users, which helps to control personal finance, using high-tech functionality put in the application.
If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting.
(Benjamin Franklin)
Finansia - translated from Latin means " cash payment ". The term originated in the 13-15 centuries.
To save money, you need to learn to control expenses and income. Most likely, you tried a variety of financial applications or notebooks and because of the complexity and inconvenience, you cease to use it. We tried to create the most user-friendly application, and at the same time exclude all the disadvantages of other similar applications.
Remember, that money is of the prolific, generating nature.
(Benjamin Franklin)
For full tracking of consumption and income, Finansia application keeps in accounting of debts and credits (loans).
Automatic parsing of messages from the bank, will help you to fully control the spending and income at bank cards.
A penny saved is a penny earned.
(Benjamin Franklin)
Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.
(Benjamin Franklin)
Today, more than ever, need to pay close attention to accounting and control of personal finances.
Features Finansia application:
**** Multi currencies
**** Voice input
**** Google Sync
**** Incomes and expenses
**** Debts
**** Loans
**** SMS parsing
**** Purpose (money box)
**** Auto operation
**** Reports
**** Password protection
**** Widget

Adnoto Expense Manager

Do you want to track your personal or business expenses directly from you smartphone? Do you want to manage your money, household, devices, gadgets and contracts easily? Or simply you think that your monthly expenses are high and want to control them easily? If your answer is “Yes!”, then Adnoto Expenses Manager is just the perfect app for you right now. It is a simple application that allows you to keep tabs on spending easily. It has simple but useful graphics for reading your data easily.
Adnoto is the best smart money tracker app that will let you keep tracking your expenses in the right way. You will be able to manage your contracts, subscriptions, expenses and many more with Adnoto. And the best thing is that our expense manager app is you can start using it for free! So, you will be able to keep track of your money and control your expenses for free within your smartphone or tablet.
For you, couples and family
Easily track and manage your own, home and family expenses. Couples can easily manage their expenses.
Easy:
✓ We care about you, and that's why we made our app very easy to use with an awesome and elegant interface that you will love.
✓ You can start using our expense tracker app without spending much time. All what you have to do create a free account or sign up using your Facebook or Google account for free! We will use your account and information to secure your data and make it available for you anytime and anywhere.
✓ Our app dashboard can give you a complete overview of your data. You can take a look at your contracts and when they will expire. Not only that! You can also find all your important information at your fingertips.
Secure:
✓ Our expense tracker app is 100% Safe, so you don't need to worry about your information. We implemented the latest security technologies to keep your information safe. No one will be able to see your data, so you can use our app without worries.
Spend Stress Indicator ©:
✓The Adnoto Spend Stress Indicator tells you when you’ve got a lot of expenses in the next 7 days. Use the indicator to help you track and manage your expense
Contract & Subscription manager:
✓ With Adnoto, you can save any subscription and contract you have. Then, you will be able to check where the contracts will expire and how much do you spend exactly each month, each quarter and each year on them.
Assets, Device & Gadget manager:
✓ Want to track your assets, devices and gadgets? Want to know how many devices do you have and which subscriptions are attached to them? It’s possible and it can be done fast with our app.
Smart reminder:
✓ We developed a smart reminder system that will remind you to cancel a subscription or contract and remind you when payments are due.
Managing other people’s affairs:
✓ Adnoto will not only let you manage your affairs, but you can also manage other people’s affairs like your parents, children or simply your friends. So, we guarantee that you will have all the right tools within your fingertips once you install our app.
Anywhere & Anytime:
✓ Want to use our app anywhere? It’s possible! Because our expense tracker app is responsive and you can install it on all your devices. So, even if you have a smartphone or tablet, you can start tracking your expenses. Registered users can use Adnoto Expense Manager in a Chrome browser when they don't have their device with them.
✓ Want to use our app anytime? It’s possible! Because we support the offline mode and you can use our money tracker app even if you don’t have an internet connection. So, keep tracking your money even without a 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi network.
What are you waiting for? Download Adnoto Expenses Manager on your smartphone or tablet now and manage your expenses in the right way.
We are always striving to provide the best experience for our users. We love feedback so feel free to send your suggestions or recommendations. to "[email protected]" so we can continue to bring you the best experience.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.adnoto.plus
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/adnoto-plus/id1074273950?ls=1&mt=8
https://adnoto.io/

The Grasp of Google --- Pondering escape plans

This might seem like a really weird topic to some but its becoming one that I feel will benefit many in discussing:
Since 2010, I've remained on the fence about Google and to a lesser degree Samsung and Apple. Some days I'd wake up and they would be the company I LOATH and HATE because of some thing they did that had bad optics (Hello Google's purchase of Boston Dynamics). Other days, I'd wake up and think they were the best company in the world because they did something that really pushed the envelope of technology or did something that had fantastic humanitarian potential or something that was just genuinely felt altruistic in nature.
As time went, those days of "evil" creped closer in to being the daily status quo and those altruistic events have been diminishing. 2016 marked the year where we saw a huge uptick in the unethical usage of data Google and companies who could claim close affiliation (either by direct partnerships or making use of their technology) began to absolutely abuse the information they've gathered on us over the last 10-20 years depending how early of an adopter you were.
Events such as PRISM, Harvard Analytical and Fusion GPS all illustrated the unethical use of data gathering techniques and has inspired the application of the Jellinik Curve and other addiction methodologies into applications.
It's been my goal in 2019 to get myself as much out of this "game" as possible. The big realization I had a number of years ago (which, I'm sure many others have had) is that if you aren't paying for something with money, you are paying for something through some other means; usually through information. This doesn't necessarily preclude that paying for something means they aren't ALSO doing stuff with your data too to some nefarious end (Hello False Dichotomy).
After all this background, my usecases are pretty simple:
- Any application I use on my phone has to be front someone or someplace (company) that, with some research, seems like they have ethical standing.
- My information going through their network needs to be encrypted in some way. Obviously the higher the better within operational tolerances (IE I doesn't bog down the equipment into unusable).
- It has to be cloud based with the same information being accessible across multiple devices.
- A mobile webapp is highly welcomed (it's harder to mess with your on phone data if you can use a webapp as opposed to an APK, but, of course that comes with usability and potentially security problems).
Insofar, I've tested/played with the following apps that are starting to become my daily drivers.
- Protomail to replace Gmail. (paying for yearly subs)
- Timetree to replace Google Calendar (Still not sold on this one)
- Cryphon to replace Hangouts/Messaging (kind of, sort of)
- Waze to replace Google Maps (Sure, Waze is owned by Google now, but its lacking some the issues --- I'm very open to another long term solution)
The one that's personally killing me is Google Voice. It's been my daily driver since 2008. I have 8 different Google Voice numbers I use for various things.
- 1 is for personal
- 1 is a "business personal"
- 5 are for business
- 1 is a spam line
I can't find any solution to Google Voice that allows for the number of phone lines without it costing an arm and a leg.
All this said, I'd like to see what the XDA community thinks about this topic in general and what app suggestions people may have.
At the end of this year, I'd like to be at a place where I can use an Android and have absolutely zero Google apps installed (including Play Services).

99.9%+ of people don't care about going non-Google. Even after many privacy abuses over the years. Even after a Play Store filled with 99.99%+ adware, trackers and malware & where clean apps are the very rare exception rather than the norm. Most people simply don't care about this stuff. Congratulations on caring enough to make changes.
Google is a filthy company, much like Microsoft and Apple. CIA /NSA partners. No different in other countries. You get exactly what you expect from such State Mafia pairings. Android only gets worse and more restrictive as time goes on.
F-droid.org for all open-source apps that aren't reliant on any Play Store spyware. F-droid.org forums for any help. Probably the best way to start on your journey. I use Osmand on the odd occasion I need GPS. It is OK. I am looking into hosting my own ejabberd server for chat. I have some way to go...it's all new to me.
Removing as much Google spyware on a new device (after rooting) is essential, IMO (If not flashing with new Google-free firmware). That means all the stock Google apps and more - gone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0G6mUyIgyg
https://qz.com/1145669/googles-true...nd-nsa-research-grants-for-mass-surveillance/
https://exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/

I feel like over the next few months we're going to start to realize this as a society, especially as we close into the 2020 election in the US and Directive 13 and 15 close closer in at the EU.
To me, its important to get ahead of the game a bit.
Ideally, from my perspective, I don't see the need to have the newest phone on the market. This ecosystem has taught us that we'll see a new product every year no matter what but that newest product will always interface the buyers as abused beta testers. The technology never seems to be good until the a generation or three later.
That being said, a phone a few years back usually has a good development group around, especially thanks to XDA.
Besides dealing with the information that's on the company's servers, however, I have a learning concern that even inside Android, without GAPPS installed, there is still some potential for abuse of person's information stepping from the various repositories designed for call logs, calendar, GPS data etc that, in theory, every Android going back to 1.0 has.
Part of my hunt for good apps are ones that don't rely on that underpinning technology.