Few questions about going to the Philippines

[Hank_ 9,174]

Grab & Uber.  I used Grab for most of 2 years, 1) the latest Grab update to their app added a long list of serious privacy issues; control of your camera to take pictures and videos (without you knowing), access to your contacts list, access to your phone account info, access to all your SMS/MMS messages both sending and receiving, access to your phone service itself, plus access to your external SD to read/write OR delete and not just relating to their app but access and control of your complete external SD.   When I updated the Grab app and then went into permissions on my phone it had added 10 privacy related permissions, when I turned them off the Grab app stopped working.   2 seconds after that I uninstalled Grab...  2) Grab drivers in the last year have also developed a habit of taking your booking then a short time later cancelling it, leaving you standing there trying to get your ride booked again, this had become a very common complaint regarding Grab.  Ride prices with Grab are a good 33% higher than a taxi also.

 

Uber, usually cheaper than Grab, friends of ours drive for Uber, or will again, once Uber is off suspension with the LTO agency.  LTO shut them down for 30 days, but that should be coming to a close soon.

 

Taxis; I use them quite often, as long as they turn on the meter no issues.  If new in town and nervous about the taxi; do take pictures of the LTO license sticker in the window and the license plate.  And as stated before, if the driver does not turn on the meter get out.  Most times when I mention turning on the meter the driver simply reaches over and turns it on.

 

Taxis are not always the cleanest or newest in comparison to Grab, but then they don't make videos or take pictures with your phone - unknown to you that they are doing this.

 

I have not installed the Uber app yet, they may be just as invasive of your privacy as Grab .. time will tell.

 

 

[The-Journey 21]

On 9/21/2017 at 9:56 PM, Hank_ said:

Grab & Uber.  I used Grab for most of 2 years, 1) the latest Grab update to their app added a long list of serious privacy issues; control of your camera to take pictures and videos (without you knowing), access to your contacts list, access to your phone account info, access to all your SMS/MMS messages both sending and receiving, access to your phone service itself, plus access to your external SD to read/write OR delete and not just relating to their app but access and control of your complete external SD.   When I updated the Grab app and then went into permissions on my phone it had added 10 privacy related permissions, when I turned them off the Grab app stopped working.   2 seconds after that I uninstalled Grab...  2) Grab drivers in the last year have also developed a habit of taking your booking then a short time later cancelling it, leaving you standing there trying to get your ride booked again, this had become a very common complaint regarding Grab.  Ride prices with Grab are a good 33% higher than a taxi also.

 

Uber, usually cheaper than Grab, friends of ours drive for Uber, or will again, once Uber is off suspension with the LTO agency.  LTO shut them down for 30 days, but that should be coming to a close soon.

 

Taxis; I use them quite often, as long as they turn on the meter no issues.  If new in town and nervous about the taxi; do take pictures of the LTO license sticker in the window and the license plate.  And as stated before, if the driver does not turn on the meter get out.  Most times when I mention turning on the meter the driver simply reaches over and turns it on.

 

Taxis are not always the cleanest or newest in comparison to Grab, but then they don't make videos or take pictures with your phone - unknown to you that they are doing this.

 

I have not installed the Uber app yet, they may be just as invasive of your privacy as Grab .. time will tell.

 

 

What makes you think grab is taking pictures and other things you mentioned without your permission? 

[Hank_ 9,174]

11 minutes ago, The-Journey said:

What makes you think grab is taking pictures and other things you mentioned without your permission? 

Grab added that permission to their latest update... not a matter of me thinking it, they state that with their latest update.

 

Grab added 10 new permissions with this latest update, all of them are invasion of privacy related.   Not sure of their reasons.

[The-Journey 21]

1 minute ago, Hank_ said:

Grab added that permission to their latest update... not a matter of me thinking it, they state that with their latest update.

 

Grab added 10 new permissions with this latest update, all of them are invasion of privacy related.   Not sure of their reasons.

Just because an app added a permission does not mean they use this feature without you knowing. 

[Hank_ 9,174]

Whatever ~

 

When you give a person permission to do something..     

 

 

Edited September 24, 2017 by Hank_

[The-Journey 21]

Just now, Hank_ said:

Whatever ~

 

 

If this is true you shouldn't have any contacts on your phone, the contacts app has these permissions and more. I've been involved in developing ios and android apps for many years. Nothing to worry about. 

[Hank_ 9,174]

Just now, The-Journey said:

If this is true you shouldn't have any contacts on your phone, the contacts app has these permissions and more. I've been involved in developing ios and android apps for many years. Nothing to worry about. 

Not on my phone, the contacts app can not access my camera... I never allow it that permission.    If the contact apps wanted to use my camera it would have to ask... I don't give it full permissions.

 

Grab added the permissions with an intent, and I doubt the intent is to NOT use any of those "permissions"    I turned those permissions off and the GRAB app stopped loading.. 'nuff said.

 

Last comment on this...   

[The-Journey 21]

2 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

Not on my phone, the contacts app can not access my camera... I never allow it that permission.    If the contact apps wanted to use my camera it would have to ask... I don't give it full permissions.

 

Grab added the permissions with an intent, and I doubt the intent is to NOT use any of those "permissions"    I turned those permissions off and the GRAB app stopped loading.. 'nuff said.

 

Last comment on this...   

Ok, I was wondering if you had some inside knowledge of what you were saying but it's just unfounded speculation on your part. 

Edited September 24, 2017 by The-Journey

[John & Rose 7,241]

8 hours ago, The-Journey said:

Just because an app added a permission does not mean they use this feature without you knowing. 

Why would they need the permission if they have no intention of using it?  They coded it that way, they have a reason.  I deleted Grab from my phone.  It was my main transportation in Phil.  Now it is cabs and Uber.  Tricycles when appropriate are good too.

[The-Journey 21]

5 minutes ago, John & Rose said:

Why would they need the permission if they have no intention of using it?  They coded it that way, they have a reason.  I deleted Grab from my phone.  It was my main transportation in Phil.  Now it is cabs and Uber.  Tricycles when appropriate are good too.

Wow, paranoid are we. Do what makes you happy. If you were really worried about privacy you would not have a smartphone. I just made my first comment because it was interesting to hear someone say 'privacy, privacy' over permissions. 

Edited September 24, 2017 by The-Journey

[John & Rose 7,241]

8 minutes ago, The-Journey said:

Wow, paranoid are we. Do what makes you happy. If you were really worried about privacy you would not have a smartphone. 

Not paranoid.  They purposely added those permissions and paid their coders to add them.  It isn't paranoia.  It is strictly about keeping my information as safe as I possibly can.  Why did they pay their coders to add permissions like this?  Just because they enjoy paying for code they dont need?  When I turned them off, as Hank did, the program quit working.  It may be paranoid to you but to me I wonder what their need is for that information.  Even if it is to sell it to third parties, it is my information and I do not want them to use my information without my permission.  They decided that if I don't give them permission they do not want me as a customer.  We are both acting within our rights.

 

Please send me your credit card info, bank info and social security number.  I dont need it and I won't use it but please send it to me anyway. Just for no reason.

 

Just send it here.  No worries.  You have a smart phone so you have no problem giving us all this information...

Edited September 24, 2017 by John & Rose

[The-Journey 21]

18 minutes ago, John & Rose said:

Not paranoid.  They purposely added those permissions and paid their coders to add them.  It isn't paranoia.  It is strictly about keeping my information as safe as I possibly can.  Why did they pay their coders to add permissions like this?  Just because they enjoy paying for code they dont need?  When I turned them off, as Hank did, the program quit working.  It may be paranoid to you but to me I wonder what their need is for that information.  Even if it is to sell it to third parties, it is my information and I do not want them to use my information without my permission.  They decided that if I don't give them permission they do not want me as a customer.  We are both acting within our rights.

 

Please send me your credit card info, bank info and social security number.  I dont need it and I won't use it but please send it to me anyway. Just for no reason.

 

Just send it here.  No worries.  You have a smart phone so you have no problem giving us all this information...

My comments were about using it without you knowing. Developing for Android vs iOS is like apples and oranges. Grab works fine on Android platform without camera, in fact it works with Just location and phone state, which the latter is used for contacting the driver sending text messages Etc. You're right your privacy is up to you. But I just found it funny that he thought that the app was using the camera Etc without permission. 

 

Android, by its open source nature can have an app developed and it can steal all your info and it wouldn't need to ask for any permissions. If fact you may already have an app on your phone now. 

 

In fact both android and ios have many processes that run and send data back to their servers. If you really want to be secure get a firewall and grant only approved processes. I did this at one time but in the end if someone wants my data, they will find a way to get it. 

Edited September 24, 2017 by The-Journey

[John & Rose 7,241]

20 minutes ago, The-Journey said:

My comments were about using it without you knowing. Developing for Android vs iOS is like apples and oranges. Grab works fine on Android platform without camera, in fact it works with Just location and phone state, which the latter is used for contacting the driver sending text messages Etc. You're right your privacy is up to you. But I just found it funny that he thought that the app was using the camera Etc without permission. 

 

Android, by its open source nature can have an app developed and it can steal all your info and it wouldn't need to ask for any permissions. If fact you may already have an app on your phone now. 

 

In fact both android and ios have many processes that run and send data back to their servers. If you really want to be secure get a firewall and grant only approved processes. I did this at one time but in the end if someone wants my data, they will find a way to get it. 

Thank you. That was a succinct and appropriate answer. That is much better than just calling me paranoid. I appreciate your insight and I have learned something.  

[The-Journey 21]

Just now, John & Rose said:

Thank you. That was a succinct and appropriate answer. That is much better than just calling me paranoid. I appreciate your insight and I have learned something.  

My apologies, never wanted to offend anyone. Perhaps bad choice of words..

[John & Rose 7,241]

4 minutes ago, The-Journey said:

My apologies, never wanted to offend anyone. Perhaps bad choice of words..

No offense taken. I appreciate having a conversation where I can learn new things. All is well. I wish you the best.