Privacy with a Price: Advocates Say Google Should Secure Cheap Android Phones

Privacy with a Price: Google Should Secure Cheap Android Phones
Google on cheap Android phone's privacy Screenshot From Startpage Facebook Page

Privacy has been an issue among users, and many of them believe that Google should secure cheap android phones as well. When you initially use your smartphone, you will notice that there are a certain number of apps that are already pre-installed, and you will not be able to remove them. Some of these apps may be necessary, while others are not.

These apps are called bloatware. What some people are not aware of is that accessing these apps may compromise your privacy and expose you to threats of viruses and malware.

Privacy advocates reaching more than 50

A group containing more than 50 privacy and human rights advocates, has just recently delivered an open letter to the CEO of Alphabet Sundar Pichai. The letters aim to request to extend Pichai's efforts in defending android users from harmful malicious or problematic pre-installed apps.

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Truth behind pre-installed apps

The phone's sellers, manufacturer, and also its mobile carriers have the power to decide which apps should be pre-installed. The iPhone does not suffer from this problem because Apple intentionally controls which apps should be pre-installed, but as for Android, the pre-installed apps are up to the discretion of other parties to choose from.

Dangers of malware and how they may function

Malware may even give access and control of the device to a person through apps, allowing him to control the phone and visit websites that create false views to generate profit for that website. Since the app runs way in the background, the owner of the phone might not even be aware.

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What about iPhone's security?

Although not entirely free from malware, iPhones are considered to be relatively safer than malware, but the downside of this smartphone is that it is not as affordable as Androids.

The Android's global influence

Cheap mobile phones are more prevalent in other countries, with a smaller annual income range. In India, only one to two percent of its users run Apple's iOS, which is an alarming number when it comes to Android's security methods.

Being able to sustain low-cost devices is a necessity we all share, but being able to protect their privacy is also a very important matter. Christopher Weatherhead, the technology lead for Privacy International, gave a statement saying When dealing with low-cost devices, we see quite a number of poor security practices."

Inclusions of Privacy International's letter

The request made inside the letter might just offer the solution we all need when it comes to privacy. The first request is to allow users to uninstall apps and hold to make sure they undergo the same procedures through the Google Play store.

Google's Action

The executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy Jeffrey Chester release a statement saying "This call organized by PI and supported by leading groups for Google to act responsibly when it comes to app privacy is a much needed wake up call for that company."

Google has recognized the problem and is working on creating better privacy for Android users.

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