I was going to download the gospel library - lesson manuals and scriptures- to my new phone. I'd rather do that so that I can bounce back and forth between RFM and the manuals/scriptures during church. It also keeps me from having to carry all of those books to church.

Anyway, when I started the download process, I got this message:

"This application has access to the following:

Network communication: full internet access
Your personal information: read sensitive log data
Phone calls: read phone state and identity
Storage: modify/delete USB storage contents & SD card contents
System tools: retrieve running apps

I didn't authorize the download because I interpreted this message to mean TSCC could monitor the websites I access on my phone as well as other personal information through their application.

Did I interpret this message correctly?

Whoa! Good question! That's crazy and I'm anxious to know to answer :-/

That's scary.

Hooooooly crap. Where are our RfM computer geeks???

;o)

YEP -- It seems like they need to know everything you are posting and receiving

YEP *Even what you had for breakfast* Think of it as like you are removing your security settings from your Facebook Page.. Also allowing everyone to know that everything in your life which you and your friends discuss..

JB

Big brother is watching.

;o)

Could this explain something I noticed when I first came to RfM. At the time I had that app downloaded on my phone and there were many times when I was trying to post on RfM with my iPhone and the cursor would start deleting what I was typing?

me too. Weird. And creepy....

I thought a lot of apps had these kind of access requests? I still think they are going overboard with some of the things they claim to need from you in order for you to use their app...but I don't think its that abonormal.

I could be wrong though. (a phrase I often say, and even said as a TBM in reference to NON church related things. Sadly it took me a long time to realize it also very much applied to church things)

Does Susan I/S know the answer?

Network communication: full internet access
May need acesss for pulling up information or changeing small detals quickly.

Your personal information: read sensitive log data
No reason to need this for a simple app to check information there would be no need for this at all.

Phone calls: read phone state and identity
Again no need for this.

Storage: modify/delete USB storage contents & SD card contents
Only if it dounloads chunks of data to your phone.

System tools: retrieve running apps
if the app is desighned to work with other church apps then this might be needed.

network communication - would be needed if it is downloading pages/books on the fly
phone calls/state - needed so that if you're using the app and the phone rings, it will switch over to the phone call
storage - needed to store info that it downloads

Don't know about the others off the top of my head.

Modify SD contents could also be for moving the app to an SD card

A lot of Android apps end up requesting too many permissions - I think this is a combination of bad API design on Android's part and general laziness on the part of app developers.

The source code for most (all?) of the church's mobile apps is available online, so if there were any really strong indications that something funny was going on, it would be pretty easy to check.

In general, I've never been too concerned about them trying to do mass, automated spying via electronic means. Among other reasons, it is pretty easy to get caught, which causes bad publicity (they may be a cult, but they sure don't want to look like one) and potential lawsuits (they are deathly afraid of these, since they could potentially force them to disclose their financial situation).

They have a great out if they do get cought though. Members will do anything for the cult but anyone thats a bit suspitious just gets anti screamed at them and it seems to work.