Which is a better operating system for privacy?

[kyrax12]

I remember that people were getting scared of Facebook Messenger because it requires access to their mic and that FB can listen onto them.

So iOS or Android?

I mean is it likely that apps can listen onto people by accesing their mic even if they are not making a call?

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I remember that people were getting scared of Facebook Messenger because it requires access to their mic and that FB can listen onto them.

So iOS or Android?

I mean is it likely that apps can listen onto people by accesing their mic even if they are not making a call?

By giving them that permission, yes, but can any app with permissions do something underhanded? Yeah. Your SMS app could spam people on its own if it wanted to. The permissions allow it to access your contacts and send messages. You trust it that it won't do such a thing and only send when you want it to send.

But before we get our panties in a bunch over Facebook Messenger permissions, let's look at a comparison against Hangouts: http://www.androidcentral.com/facebook-messenger-vs-google-hangouts-side-side-look-permissions

The outcome is that Hangouts is just as bad if not worse, but the important thing to understand is that these permissions make sense for the functionality of the app. If you were really concerned about privacy, you woudln't be on Facebook to begin with.

As for the two OSes, I think inherently out of the box for the average Joe, maybe the permissions settings on iOS might work better so you can easily deny location or contacts access for a specific app, but for the power user, you can really customize Android to be more privacy minded if you wanted.

 

[luv2liv]

facebook and privacy in same sentence. lol

 

[Mopetar]

I think that each OS itself is about as secure/private as the other, so it doesn't really matter.

You could say that iOS apps are slightly more safe on average simply due to the permission structure and that Apple's walled-garden approach keeps some stuff out compared to Google's approach.

However, once you start using third party apps that store your data in the cloud or track you in other ways, the device no longer matters. If I had to pick, I'd probably go with Windows Phone. It probably isn't inherently any more or less secure in regards to privacy, but it's a lot less popular and therefore a lot less likely to be the target of some large-scale attack to get at user's data or for scam apps that try to steal your information or spy on you in some other way.

 

[Rottie]

Facebook get paid by NSA for FaceBook Messenger in my opinion.

 

[Dulanic]

Smartphone and privacy are polar opposites. However, with that said, I am willing to give up certain privacy for certain features. I personally like xposed on android if you're rooted you can install AppOps Xposed to remove certain rights from an app. Ex I have facebook installed as I have a few people who message me on it, but I remove nearly all of it's right. It also shows the last time the permission was used and what's funny is most never use the permissions they have.

 

[Ravynmagi]

Not sure if either OS is really any better. I think Google is more upfront about what apps are requesting. Unfortunately permission requests on Android usually sound much worse than they really are.

 

[zerogear]

Dumbphones.

 

[mmntech]

BlackBerry. Yes, seriously. Though there's really no such thing as security on smartphones, or really any device that's connected to the internet.

iOS is probably more secure than Android, as there's been some sneak stuff with app permissions on the latter. Though with the Fappening this week, iOS isn't looking all that rosy either. I don't think WP8 has had any major breeches but there are tools out there to hack Skydrive.

 

[shabby]

but for the power user, you can really customize Android to be more privacy minded if you wanted.

I love denying permissions with xprivacy, location nope, contacts nope, serial number nope.

 

[kyrax12]

I love denying permissions with xprivacy, location nope, contacts nope, serial number nope.

I don't get why Android can't have this feature by default.

 

[shabby]

I don't get why Android can't have this feature by default.

Most likely because google wants to allow a developer to siphon every bit of info off of its user and send them targeted ads.

 

[mmntech]

Most likely because google wants to allow a developer to siphon every bit of info off of its user and send them targeted ads.

This. No such thing as a free lunch.