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[sharkmuncher]

Verizon has announced new plans to install software on customers’ devices to track what apps customers have downloaded. With this spyware, Verizon will be able to sell ads to you across the Internet based on things like which bank you use and whether you’ve downloaded a fertility app.

Verizon’s use of “AppFlash”—an app launcher and web search utility that Verizon will be rolling out to their subscribers’ Android devices “in the coming weeks”—is just the latest display of wireless carriers’ stunning willingness to compromise the security and privacy of their customers by installing spyware on end devices.

The AppFlash Privacy Policy published by Verizon states that the app can be used to

“collect information about your device and your use of the AppFlash services. This information includes your mobile number, device identifiers, device type and operating system, and information about the AppFlash features and services you use and your interactions with them. We also access information about the list of apps you have on your device.”

Troubling as it may be to collect intimate details about what apps you have installed, the policy also illustrates Verizon’s intent to gather location and contact information:

“AppFlash also collects information about your device’s precise location from your device operating system as well as contact information you store on your device.”

And what will Verizon use all of this information for? Why, targeted advertising on third-party websites, of course:

“AppFlash information may be shared within the Verizon family of companies, including companies like AOL who may use it to help provide more relevant advertising within the AppFlash experiences and in other places, including non-Verizon sites, services and devices.”

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/...e-has-already-arrived-verizon-announces-plans

http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/03/28/verizon-phones-will-soon-get-useless-appflash-search-tool-upcoming-rollout/



So this is all sorts of fun. It looks like it's pushing out a new launcher that gets all sorts of background permissions. I would hopefully assume it'll be possible to uninstall / disable, but WTF. Looks like unlocked phones as well as the Pixel will not be included.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

THEY DIDNT EVEN WAIT 48 HOURS

Guess iPhone is the way to go on Verizon

 

[HvySky]

This is why I don't buy phones through service providers anymore. Unlocked all the way.

 

[Crimson_Gold]

This is why I don't buy phones through service providers anymore. Unlocked all the way.

This.

 

[Pagusas]

Apple better keep them off the iPhone.

Can Android users opt out?

 

[reKon]

Android manufacturers need to grow some balls and tell them fuck you.

 

[SugarDaddy]

lmao gonna be interesting for grinder/tindr with people in relationships

"Honey, what's a bear? And why is this asking me if I want to meet 13 of them in my area?"

 

[Saganator]

Not even my Pixel is safe from this shit?

 

[Link]

THEY DIDNT EVEN WAIT 48 HOURS

Guess iPhone is the way to go on Verizon

Who do you think paid all those Republicans to vote for this? They had this shit ready to go as soon as legislation was passed.

 

[Burbeting]

If I had Verizon, I would drop it faster than a rock.

lmao gonna be
interesting for grinder/tindr with people in relationships

"Honey, what's a bear? And why is this asking me if I want to meet 13 of them in my area?"

'Sexiest bears in your area want YOU!'

 

[Kyrios]

The fuck, Verizon?

Is this coming in an automatic download or some kind of firmware update?

 

[sharkmuncher]

Not even my Pixel is safe from this shit?

Pixel "should" be ok.

 

[Somnid]

THEY DIDNT EVEN WAIT 48 HOURS

Guess iPhone is the way to go on Verizon

I might be wrong but I think mobile carriers were always allowed to do this because they are classified differently. The repeal was in relation to general ISPs for home internet.

 

[Zeshile]

If I had Verizon, I would drop it faster than a rock.



'Sexiest bears in your area want YOU!'

 

[mattp]

I might be wrong but I think mobile carriers were always allowed to do this because they are classified differently. The repeal was in relation to general ISPs for home internet.

pretty sure you are correct

this is just coincidental timing, has nothing to do with the repeal

it has everything to do with verizon making more and more steps to attempt to take on google and facebook's ad networks
aka they need to spy on their customers as much as possible for that precious data

 

[shadowsdarknes]

Can custom firmware alleviate this?

This is absolutely an eyesore.

 

[ErnieMcCracken]

Glad I left Verizon for Project Fi. They can fuck right off with this shit.

 

[SwiftDeath]

Verizon: "You thought we sucked before? Just watch us go Full Evil"

 

[captmcblack]

This is why I have root.

 

[Sulik2]

Ridiculous garbage. I get my phone provided by work, so I am stuck with verizon and have been hesitant to root a work provided phone. But this is the kind of garbage that will finally get me to root my next phone.

 

[Mattakuevan]

Hmm, they were already on a thin line for me. If they go through with this Ill drop them immediately.

They're one of the only providers that work well in my city/home, but this is unacceptable.

 

[HvySky]

Glad I left Verizon for Project Fi. They can fuck right off with this shit.

I've been considering it for a while but this might be enough for me to finally peace out on Verizon and get with Fi. Same situation with my home internet; changing to my local internet provider just became a million times easier with recent news.

 

[_woLf]

I've been a Verizon customer for more than a decade.

I will drop them very quickly if they put this shit on my phone.

 

[JCX]

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/...e-has-already-arrived-verizon-announces-plans

http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/03/28/verizon-phones-will-soon-get-useless-appflash-search-tool-upcoming-rollout/



So this is all sorts of fun. It looks like it's pushing out a new launcher that gets all sorts of background permissions. I would hopefully assume it'll be possible to uninstall / disable, but WTF. Looks like unlocked phones as well as the Pixel will not be included.

Bless pure android.

 

[AlmostMilk]

So glad I'm not on Verizon anymore. This is ridiculous.

 

[Saganator]

I always have the worst luck switching carriers. Couple years ago I switched to Tmo and 2 months later they're hacked and all my personal info is stolen. 3 months ago I switch to Verizon from Tmo and then Tmo offers unlimited data and now Verizon is doing this BS.

 

[Carpe Carnim]

Hopefully this provides some momentum on Android that was lost with the quick death of Cyanogenmod.

I can tell I'm going to be busy rooting and rom'ing friends and families' phones.

 

[Somnid]

Bless pure android.

I don't understand this sentiment. Pure Android funnels all of your data to Google. It doesn't fix the data collection problem, it just gives to a different company.

 

[Elandyll]

Glad I dropped them last month.

Don't you put this evil on me, T mobile!

 

[NeOak]

This is why I don't buy phones through service providers anymore. Unlocked all the way.

This.

For Verizon, yeah.

Other carriers fuck you over with no VoLTE/WiFi calling due to IMEI whitelisting except iPhones.

 

[Haunted]

Disgusting

 

[Zaphod]

While this is crap, according to the Verge you can opt out of this ridiculous data collection marketing scheme.

http://www.theverge.com/2017/3/31/15135542/verizon-data-ad-tracking-appflash-spyware

 

[emag]

I don't understand this sentiment. Pure Android funnels all of your data to Google. It doesn't fix the data collection problem, it just gives to a different company.

People trust Google, or at least value its services (GMail, Search, Photos, Android in general) enough that they find the trade-off worthwhile. Besides, you can't really avoid Google on an Android device.

Verizon, on the other hand, generally makes the user experience worse with its software and services. Verizon's privacy policies are also weaker than Google's and the company less trusted overall.

 

[sharkmuncher]

While this is crap, according to the Verge you can opt out of this ridiculous data collection marketing scheme.

http://www.theverge.com/2017/3/31/15135542/verizon-data-ad-tracking-appflash-spyware

Yeah, I saw this too. There seems to be some variation between the Verge, the Tech Crunch (Verizon Owned and a somewhat hilarious read), the Android Police and EFF articles. The Verge article starts by saying

During a testing period it's going to be pre-installed on a single device, the LG K20 V, but Verizon says the app is opt-in to use and customers can easily disable it.

, but the Tech Crunch article is much more of a nebulous

The service will be rolling out across Verizon Android devices in the coming weeks.

Seems like probably still a wait and see, but I'm definitely on the more skeptical side when it comes to US mobile providers putting shit on peoples phones, see CarrierIQ

People trust Google, or at least value its services (GMail, Search, Photos, Android in general) enough that they find the trade-off worthwhile. Besides, you can't really avoid Google on an Android device.

Verizon, on the other hand, generally makes the user experience worse with its software and services. Verizon's privacy policies are also weaker than Google's and the company less trusted overall.

Most people don't pay >$100 a month for Gmail, which also probably makes some difference...

 

[paskowitz]

Yeah, I saw this too. There seems to be some variation between the Verge, the Tech Crunch (Verizon Owned and a somewhat hilarious read), the Android Police and EFF articles. The Verge article starts by saying , but the Tech Crunch article is much more of a nebulous

Seems like probably still a wait and see, but I'm definitely on the more skeptical side when it comes to US mobile providers putting shit on peoples phones, see CarrierIQ



Most people don't pay >$100 a month for Gmail, which also probably makes some difference...

#Journalism

 

[Zaphod]

Yeah, I saw this too. There seems to be some variation between the Verge, the Tech Crunch (Verizon Owned and a somewhat hilarious read), the Android Police and EFF articles.

Wow! You weren't kidding about the difference in tone. The Tech Crunch article makes this seem like some new killer app.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

Verizon, on the other hand, generally makes the user experience worse with its software and services. Verizon's privacy policies are also weaker than Google's and the company less trusted overall.

Do you have a link for this?

I don't know how it could get worse than Google telling us plainly they will track us everywhere on all their services (Doubleclick, YouTube, etc... after assuring us for years they wouldn't do this), and they will combine all that data to paint an accurate picture for themselves of you.

 

[giga]

This is why I will continue to use windows phone until they pry it from my cold, dead hands.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/...e-has-already-arrived-verizon-announces-plans

http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/03/28/verizon-phones-will-soon-get-useless-appflash-search-tool-upcoming-rollout/



So this is all sorts of fun. It looks like it's pushing out a new launcher that gets all sorts of background permissions. I would hopefully assume it'll be possible to uninstall / disable, but WTF. Looks like unlocked phones as well as the Pixel will not be included.

Never buy a locked phone!

 

[Gentleman Jack]

Verizon has responded to the EFF article

UPDATE: We have received additional information from Verizon and based on that information we are withdrawing this post while we investigate further. Here is the statement from Kelly Crummey, Director of Corporate Communications of Verizon: "As we said earlier this week, we are testing AppFlash to make app discovery better for consumers. The test is on a single phone – LG K20 V – and you have to opt-in to use the app. Or, you can easily disable the app. Nobody is required to use it. Verizon is committed to your privacy. Visit www.verizon.com/about/privacy to view our Privacy Policy."

Of course, stay vigilant. Zero reason to give Verizon the benefit of the doubt.