Google Inc. has removed a privacy feature from its Android operating system that allows users to block apps from collecting private information contacts and location.
A spokesperson for Google said that the feature was just accidentally added when the Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) operating system was released in summer.
However, critics were not happy about the Internet company decision to pull out the feature. Peter Eckersley, Technology Projects Director for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, wrote in a blog post posted Friday: “We are suspicious of this explanation, and do not think that it in any way justifies removing the feature rather than improving it.”
Since the feature will not be included in the latest version of Android OS, which is 4.4.2, users who like to keep the privacy feature may opt not to update their software. However, their gadgets can be susceptible to security vulnerabilities.
If the users opt to upgrade, they would have to make their private data accessible to use certain apps.
A lot of third party applications for Android gadgets require access to user’s private data, but apps like Shazam and some popular smartphone flashlight apps, which ask for access, obviously do not have something to do with the personal information for them to work properly.
With the accidental privacy feature, users can decide on which private data a third app can get access into.
Privacy is something smartphone users care very much nowadays, because for one, smartphones contain the owner’s personal information like credit card data and digits, passwords, and e-mails. Removing the right of the users to choose whether they want to share their information or not is something most security experts do not understand.
Smartphones, with no doubt, has become very imperative in everyone’s lives so keeping it private and secured to the farthest extent possible is what each user wants.
“For the time being, users will need to choose between either privacy or security on the Android devices, but not both,” added Eckersley.
