Top 10 Flashlight Apps on Playstore are Malware, per Video Report

[AZgl1500]

watch and listen to this video

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q8xz8xKEFvU

I do NOT use any flashlight app from PlayStore, as soon as I saw the Permissions they wanted you to accept, I back out and uninstall it..... but, even that may not be enough, it is already on the phone and doing its' dirty work.

Samsung phones have a Flashlight button in their Widgets and I just put that on a Home Screen.
That is all I have ever used...

but, after watching this video, I am wondering if Samsung put it there intentionally to spy on us?
dunno, but would sure like to find out.

.

 

[Gmash]

Not all of them. Check out Flashlight Widget. No ads or weird permissions.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=at.bleeding182.flashlight

 

[El Presidente]

That video is from 2014, roughly around the time one of the most popular torch apps on Play was found guilty of stealing location data (or something, I can't remember the exact crime).

I'm pretty sure if Samsung wanted to spy on you, they wouldn't need a flashlight app to do it.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.flashlight&hl=en_GB

That one is fine too.

 

[svim]

While there's no question that there are number of flashlight apps that do vacuum up and pass along personal data, using the word 'all' does misrepresent things quite a bit. A blanket statement like that accuses every developer who has made a flashlight app to be covertly folding in code into their efforts simply because there a few bad ones who do.

 

[kate]

An Android forums member made a flashlight app with no ads or unneeded permissions. Only needs access to the camera to turn the light on.

App store link:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nkcode.flashlight

 

[AZgl1500]

The instant I hit POST, I realized the title is misleading..... but I can't find a way to edit the title.
and, to be honest, I forgot to look at the date of the video....

a problem with 120 wpm fingers and a brain/clutch that didn't get used right.

 

[Fox Mulder]

All? No.
Many? Yes. Flashlight apps are particularly notorious for being sneaky malware in disguise.
The lesson, not just with these but with all apps in general, is to always check the permissions first before installing. They should be reasonable for what the app does. It's often useful to compare multiple similar apps and their permissions lists, the safer ones will have fewer (sometimes far fewer) permissions to do the same thing.

 

[El Presidente]

The instant I hit POST, I realized the title is misleading..... but I can't find a way to edit the title.
and, to be honest, I forgot to look at the date of the video....

a problem with 120 wpm fingers and a brain/clutch that didn't get used right.

Thread Tools -> Edit Thread (it's at the top of the page). Or hit the report button and one of us can sort it.

 

[AZgl1500]

Thread Tools -> Edit Thread (it's at the top of the page). Or hit the report button and one of us can sort it.

Thank you, is there a Time Limit to Edit the Thread?
I should have hit the Report Button immediately and had it fixed...


I fixed it: Relief is not what Coca Cola claims it is

 

[kate]

Thank you, is there a Time Limit to Edit the Thread?

I don't believe so, the OP should be able to change their thread title anytime.

 

[AMOCO]

Well I uninstalled my flashlight app,And I guess I will do a factory reset in the next day or so.When I find a way to backup my contacts.

I was using Flashlight Free.

 

[Curtis1973]

I am of the opinion that most of the free stuff on play store can be labeled as malware/spyware. That's the trade off here folks. Just like "free wallpaper" apps for windows...you get what you pay for. And you will pay for it one way or the other...either by cash and no crap...or by ads,tracking and everything else via free. It is all a trade off in privacy.