Your Smartphone is Spying On You

[Mousey]

You do not have permission to view link Log in or register now.

Adam Clark Estes 2,233 Views 3:49 PM ET

An Android developer recently discovered a clandestine application called Carrier IQ built into most smartphones that doesn't just track your location; it secretly records your keystrokes, and there's nothing you can do about it. Is it time to put on a tinfoil hat? That depends on how you feel about privacy.

The reason for this invasive Android app seems reasonable enough at face value. Even though it's on most Android, BlackBerry and Nokia devices, most users would never know that Carrier IQ is running in the background, and that's sort of the point. Described on the company's website as software to gain "unprecedented insight into their customers' mobile experience," ......

 

[Mousey]

You do not have permission to view link Log in or register now.

Adam Clark Estes 2,233 Views 3:49 PM ET

More on this...

Link Removed

 

[luarod]

I'm already super paranoid about these things, Fb, etc now thanks to you I can say I have a little bit of reason.

Either way, I still have a really old nokia that is not really smart but still works.

 

[Mousey]

I'm already super paranoid about these things, Fb, etc now thanks to you I can say I have a little bit of reason.

Either way, I still have a really old nokia that is not really smart but still works.

I'm a fan of the dumb phones. LOL I dread it when 'upgrade' time comes around for our company cellphones. The choices for dumb phones are very limited these days. Employees will be hinting and requesting the fancier smartphones they've seen drilled into their heads by TV ads and such. (These ads don't tell you that your internet use is very limited in bandwidth and very, very expensive.) From what I've seen, the more 'junk' on a phone, the more the phone quality suffers.

I refuse to buy into the internet as 'necessary' on a damn phone. It really and truly has no application for our employees out in the field. Plus, it's waaaay too expensive for a very small business with only 4 or 5 employees. I only caved on the texting deal a couple of months ago when it became 'unlimited' for all our phones at a modest cost. I've never used it myself. Nor has the business owner. So it's a 'luxury' we provide for the other couple of employees that use it in their personal communications.

If I want internet, I use my laptop or netbook.

As I see it, the problem with the CarrierIQ on the smartphones is that it tracks waaaaay too much information and the cell carriers aren't telling users in advance.