Apps to Stop Spying...

[USN12]

Hello all,

I'm looking for an app, (possibly something for rooted phones), that stops other apps/companies, (notably Facebook and Google), from "spying" on your personal information, such as text messages, location data,personal contacts, and e-mails.

One only needs to read the lastest technology news to realize that the age of "big data" is upon us, where big corporations, (notably Facebook and Google), harvest and sell the personal data of its users to big advertising firms, insurance companies, etc...

I'm looking for an app that stops this from happening. How one can program such a thing is beyond me, I'd simply like to know if something like this exists.

Thanks.

 

[Crashdamage]

It's not possible for an app to do what you want. The only sure-fire way to guarantee complete privacy of phone calls, texts, email, Facebook, etc is - don't use them.

 

[electricpete]

Droidwall is light and simple and may help prevent apps from transitting any data to the mother ship.

Pdroid is even more effective, but not particularly simple

 

[USN12]

electricpete:

I'm unsure how the apps you mentioned are able to do what I want. They are simply firewall apps and disable specific apps from using the internet. I want to continue using the facebook app, but I don't want it to spy on my e-mails and text messages, thats all.

I was hoping someone could design an app that would monitor the text messages, e-mails etc, so that no other apps were "sniffing around" and collecting personal data, without having to disable to that apps ability to access the internet completely.

I hope this makes sense.

 

[chanchan05]

Not possible. Networks could even sniff your SMS and record your call and get your location without having any access on your phone at all, all they need is you to be on their network.

Also, Google made the OS, so its impossible for any app to actually stop them if you wanted to. You'd need to do system level blocking for that. Google also controls your app downloads since you need a Google Account to download apps, so they know whatever it is you download.

Basically, as said before, if you don't want to get spied on, don't use their services. Note that even if you get the dumbest phone you can get now, or even an ancient 3310, networks can still locate you via cell towers.