Android Apps - Required Data / Information

[OnMyWay]

I have avoided downloading and installing apps on my android phones because they always ask for so much access to my phone.  E.g., location, contacts, photos, etc.

As I mentioned in another thread, I just downloaded Phoneleash and it asked for access to for a lot of items on my phone.  I really need it so I went ahead with the install.  I just copied this from their website.  During setup, the notification is just high level.

PhoneLeash: SMS/MMS forwarding GearAndroid Version 3.53 can access:

Identity
read your own contact card
find accounts on the device
Contacts
read your contacts
find accounts on the device
Location
precise location (GPS and network-based)
approximate location (network-based)
SMS
read your text messages (SMS or MMS)
edit your text messages (SMS or MMS)
receive text messages (SMS)
send SMS messages
receive text messages (MMS)
Phone
read phone status and identity
read call log
write call log
Photos/Media/Files
modify or delete the contents of your USB storage
read the contents of your USB storage
Storage
modify or delete the contents of your USB storage
read the contents of your USB storage
Wi-Fi connection information
view Wi-Fi connections
Device ID & call information
read phone status and identity
Other
receive data from Internet
full network access
modify system settings
view network connections
run at startup
change network connectivity
connect and disconnect from Wi-Fi
control vibration
use accounts on the device

Am I being paranoid?  I understand why they need some of these, but others, I do not.  Many other apps are similar.  I value privacy.

Thoughts?

Edited August 25, 2016 by OnMyWay

[Steve GCC]

I suppose most apps probably do, including if an Apple device.  We just dont check and as long as its the norm now a days and doesnt effect us..........

[Jack Peterson]

6 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

Am I being paranoid?  I understand why they need some of these, but others, I do not.  Many other apps are similar.  I value privacy.

Thoughts?

 I like a phone that does what it says on the Tin (Can) send Texts, make or receive either a text or a call anything else I use my PC, Easy Peezy. I see all these people out and about with Hi tech Stuff, As I said to my daughter wanna be private leave the damn thing at Home But.............. some just can't seem to live without the Internet  They can't all be Warren Buffets that NEED Internet on the Phone otherwise we would not have these Conversations about "Can I live On ?????" privacy, peace & Quiet is something no one will get if we all act like teenagers that have forgotten or just don't know how to hold a conversation. Negative? Hmmmmmmm maybe but

[OnMyWay]

5 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

 I like a phone that does what it says on the Tin (Can) send Texts, make or receive either a text or a call anything else I use my PC, Easy Peezy. I see all these people out and about with Hi tech Stuff, As I said to my daughter wanna be private leave the damn thing at Home But.............. some just can't seem to live without the Internet  They can't all be Warren Buffets that NEED Internet on the Phone otherwise we would not have these Conversations about "Can I live On ?????" privacy, peace & Quiet is something no one will get if we all act like teenagers that have forgotten or just don't know how to hold a conversation. Negative? Hmmmmmmm maybe but

My 12 year old daughter is another reason for concern.   She used to have a old fashioned simple phone for emergencies only but we let her buy a MyPhone with her birthday money.  She has downloaded games and a few music apps, and I am sure they also require you to give a lot of info.

Do the apps only require access to the requested items?  Meaning, they can't take personal data from you phone and use it for their purposes, right?  Like take your contacts and use it for spam marketing.

[Jack Peterson]

6 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

Do the apps only require access to the requested items?  Meaning, they can't take personal data from you phone and use it for their purposes, right?  Like take your contacts and use it for spam marketing.

 Not sure but this is one reason I won't have one, Once it goes on to the net it is open, Nothing is private Who knows what people can do with the stuff, at least with a PC much information can be kept somewhat a little more secure, My Daughter is always Complaining HOW? did that get out? Well my dear, you must have told someone, No! I sent a message to so & so and now this maybe forgetting things she has done on the Phone Settings. Security of our Children (& ourselves) is paramount to me, Like Yesterday for Instance, needed to have some Discussions on Important issues so we had Lunch and talked Person to Person,  If those conversations were Hacked then who ever did would have a headache this Morning, As I said Privacy & security of sensitive information won't be found out there in the Never Never land of the net 

 JMHO but............................. 

[Dave Hounddriver]

19 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

Do the apps only require access to the requested items?  Meaning, they can't take personal data from you phone and use it for their purposes, right?  Like take your contacts and use it for spam marketing.

This may belong in Jack's quotation thread but I think it is apt here:

“The choice for mankind lies between freedom and happiness and for the great bulk of mankind, happiness is better.” 
― George Orwell, 1984

[Jollygoodfellow]

1 hour ago, Jack Peterson said:

 I like a phone that does what it says on the Tin (Can) send Texts, make or receive either a text or a call anything else I use my PC, Easy Peezy. I see all these people out and about with Hi tech Stuff, As I said to my daughter wanna be private leave the damn thing at Home But.............. some just can't seem to live without the Internet

Well I see your point but so be it just last night I fired up my first smart phone, not because I am smart but needed a new phone and the first app I loaded was "viber" to allow me free calls and messages to other viber users and to keep in touch with friends etc in Australia if I can get them to install viber too. So in my case nothing to do with the internet but could not use viber or skype on an older type phone. 

[Jack Peterson]

1 hour ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

first app I loaded was "viber" to allow me free calls

 Very good, but did you have to pay for that as I am somewhat a believer in "there is No Free Lunch"

 I so, then they have gotten some detail from you, If not Someones is losing Money EH?

[Jollygoodfellow]

2 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

Very good, but did you have to pay for that as I am somewhat a believer in "there is No Free Lunch"

No you pay nothing unless you are calling a non viber user so in other words if I called my mums landline then I need to buy credit which is much less than normal calls. 

[Jack Peterson]

1 minute ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

No you pay nothing unless you are calling a non viber user so in other words if I called my mums landline then I need to buy credit which is much less than normal calls. 

 I am Hiding this conversation from my Sprog, she is up late enough at night now with out calls to Europe and Aus all night