23 votes

Many popular iPhone apps secretly record your screen without asking

11 comments

  1. [12]
    Comment deleted by author
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    1. [9]
      babypuncher
      Link Parent
      I like the sentiment, but I just don't know what I would even do without maps and Wikipedia in my pocket.

      I like the sentiment, but I just don't know what I would even do without maps and Wikipedia in my pocket.

      15 votes
      1. Maven
        Link Parent
        And my books! Gotta have something to read on the bus.

        And my books! Gotta have something to read on the bus.

        7 votes
      2. [7]
        Comment deleted by author
        Link Parent
        1. [4]
          ali
          Link Parent
          That's inconvenient, takes a lot of time, and you have to pay for a drink each time you want to check something. Surely there must be better ways

          That's inconvenient, takes a lot of time, and you have to pay for a drink each time you want to check something. Surely there must be better ways

          3 votes
          1. [4]
            Comment deleted by author
            Link Parent
            1. [3]
              babypuncher
              Link Parent
              At the very least, iPhones make it easy to limit what information comes your way. You can block apps from sending notifications (or limit what types of notifications they send), and even dictate...

              At the very least, iPhones make it easy to limit what information comes your way. You can block apps from sending notifications (or limit what types of notifications they send), and even dictate when apps are and aren't available at all during certain times of the day.

              Of course, you need to have enough self control to actually use these features and not just turn them off. It probably doesn't work if you have a legitimate social media addiction, but for most of us these are great tools for limiting all the noise and time wasting.

              1 vote
              1. [3]
                Comment deleted by author
                Link Parent
                1. babypuncher
                  Link Parent
                  There is no (or at least shouldn't be) any workplace expectation of off-hours availability just because you have a smartphone. I have a smartphone and haven't set up my work email on it. If they...

                  There is no (or at least shouldn't be) any workplace expectation of off-hours availability just because you have a smartphone. I have a smartphone and haven't set up my work email on it. If they want that kind of 24/7 availability then at the very least they should be paying for my mobile service.

                  1 vote
                2. NaraVara
                  Link Parent
                  Your work obligations are aspects of your workplace culture. That's not going to change because you, individually, decided to get a dumbphone. It's just going to make you the odd-man-out in your...

                  With a dumbphone I can cast aside the expectation of being always available.

                  Your work obligations are aspects of your workplace culture. That's not going to change because you, individually, decided to get a dumbphone. It's just going to make you the odd-man-out in your company for not being able to keep up.

                  Systemic/cultural problems can't be addressed through individual consumption choices. If you have a problem with a workplace culture that expects 24/7 availability the problem isn't your phone, it's your workplace's lack of respect for boundaries. That's where the issue needs to be tackled.

                  I have an IFTT script on my phone to turn off all notifications for my work-applications after 6:00PM. My team and my managers know that they can call me in a real emergency, but I will not respond on email or Slack unless they give me a heads up, during the workday, that they will need me for something after hours.

        2. Ordinator
          Link Parent
          I dunno. I think if I had to pick I would take a 5" tablet with nothing but a web browser over a dumb phone.

          I dunno. I think if I had to pick I would take a 5" tablet with nothing but a web browser over a dumb phone.

          2 votes
        3. babypuncher
          Link Parent
          Yeah that just doesn't seem palatable in 2019. I'm not going to wander over to starbucks and pull out my laptop when I need driving directions to wherever I want to go next. That made sense when I...

          Yeah that just doesn't seem palatable in 2019. I'm not going to wander over to starbucks and pull out my laptop when I need driving directions to wherever I want to go next. That made sense when I didn't have a choice, but having all that in my pocket is so dramatically more convenient that I just can't imagine going back to the old way of doing things.

          1 vote
      3. NaraVara
        Link Parent
        The Cellular Apple Watch would, I think, cover most of that. Actually browsing the internet or reading anything is futility but quick hits, like looking up something on dictionary.com or...

        The Cellular Apple Watch would, I think, cover most of that. Actually browsing the internet or reading anything is futility but quick hits, like looking up something on dictionary.com or wikipedia, are easy enough.

        It covers most of the use case for a dumb-phone. You can do calls and texts and it sends you notifications for anything that actually needs your attention, but anything that requires deep attention or more than a quick reply will require you to get a "heavier" device, like a phone or computer.

        It works better with Siri or speech-to-text though, since actual text entry is a pain on that thing. So you may have to be ok with talking to your wrist in public.

    2. NaraVara
      Link Parent
      Steve Jobs’ original plan was to have no App Store and make everyone do web apps. But if you want to approximate this, you could just not install any apps. In hindsight, maybe not the worst idea....

      Steve Jobs’ original plan was to have no App Store and make everyone do web apps. But if you want to approximate this, you could just not install any apps.

      In hindsight, maybe not the worst idea. This whole app economy is in dire need of regulation.

      7 votes
    3. Octofox
      Link Parent
      I considered getting something like this but I have settled for a degoogled android phone with apps from fdroid. The privacy issues are partially solved but my main issues are wasting time on IM...

      I considered getting something like this but I have settled for a degoogled android phone with apps from fdroid. The privacy issues are partially solved but my main issues are wasting time on IM and web browsing.

      One of the super big privacy issues with phones is phone carriers record your location and sell access to other companies who resell it to police and other companies. There seems to be no way out of this.

      2 votes