FTC Drops the Hammer On Maker of Location-Sharing Flashlight App

[DamianTV]

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/13/12/...flashlight-app

"The Federal Trade Commission announced on Thursday that it settled with the maker of 'Brightest Flashlight Free,' a popular Android mobile application, over charges that the company used deceptive advertising to collect location and device information from Android owners. The FTC says the company failed to disclose wanton harvesting and sharing of customers' locations and mobile device identities with third parties. Brightest Flashlight Free, which allows Android owners to use their phone as a flashlight, is a top download from Google Play, the main Android marketplace. Statistics from the site indicate that it has been downloaded more than one million times with an overall rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars. The application, which is available for free, displays mobile advertisements on the devices it is installed on. However, the device also harvested a wide range of data from Android phones which was shared with advertisers, including what the FTC describes as 'precise geolocation along with persistent device identifiers.' As part of the settlement with the FTC, Goldenshores is ordered to change its advertisements and in-app disclosures to make explicit any collection of geolocation information, how it is or may be used, the reason for collecting location information and which third parties that data is shared with."

General Politics due to Privacy.

Do you use a Flashlight? Then you have no Right to Privacy. We're a Business, and have Rights that you do NOT.

So where do YOU draw the line on the Invasion of Privacy, or have you already just given up?

[asurfaholic]

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/13/12/...flashlight-app


So where do YOU draw the line on the Invasion of Privacy, or have you already just given up?

Interesting question,

I haven't given up per say, but I don't have the capabilities to remain completely anonymous in all situations. I don't facebook, and I try to avoid things like that, but I enjoy the convenience of having a smartphone and other things, which I know are being used to track me. So, I haven't given up, but rather I try to just blend in to an extent. If someone wanted me, there is nothing I could do to stop it. Even if I threw away every possible thing that is known to track locations and history. I know my brand new truck has on-star and black box stuff, I hate it, but I love me some sweet truck. Im going to live my life without fear of some bureaucrat or overbearing government. When the time comes to fight for my family, I will, but for now its blend in and try to be positive.

[DaninPA]

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/13/12/...flashlight-appSo where do YOU draw the line on the Invasion of Privacy, or have you already just given up?

At the very least I have the right to not have my private information used to put me in a cage for a victimless crime. And I'll protect that right by exercising my right to keep and bear arms.

[dannno]

Seems like a business opportunity was missed - Somebody just needed to create the Privacy Flashlight App and market it as not collecting or sharing the information like their most popular competitor.

[CPUd]

If you don't want to be tracked, don't install apps that track you.

[DamianTV]

If you don't want to be tracked, don't install apps that track you.

That is damn near EVERY program nowadays. Literally. Even Calculator on Windows.

[CPUd]

# calc.py - a Python calculator
from tkinter import *
 
# the main class
class Calc():
    def __init__(self):
        self.total = 0
        self.current = ""
        self.new_num = True
        self.op_pending = False
        self.op = ""
        self.eq = False
 
    def num_press(self, num):
        self.eq = False
        temp = text_box.get()
        temp2 = str(num)     
        if self.new_num:
            self.current = temp2
            self.new_num = False
        else:
            if temp2 == '.':
                if temp2 in temp:
                    return
            self.current = temp + temp2
        self.display(self.current)
 
    def calc_total(self):
        self.eq = True
        self.current = float(self.current)
        if self.op_pending == True:
            self.do_sum()
        else:
            self.total = float(text_box.get())
 
    def display(self, value):
        text_box.delete(0, END)
        text_box.insert(0, value)
 
    def do_sum(self):
        if self.op == "add":
            self.total += self.current
        if self.op == "minus":
            self.total -= self.current
        if self.op == "times":
            self.total *= self.current
        if self.op == "divide":
            self.total /= self.current
        self.new_num = True
        self.op_pending = False
        self.display(self.total)
 
    def operation(self, op):
        self.current = float(self.current)
        if self.op_pending:
            self.do_sum()
        elif not self.eq:
            self.total = self.current
        self.new_num = True
        self.op_pending = True
        self.op = op
        self.eq = False
 
    def cancel(self):
        self.eq = False
        self.current = "0"
        self.display(0)
        self.new_num = True
 
    def all_cancel(self):
        self.cancel()
        self.total = 0
 
    def sign(self):
        self.eq = False
        self.current = -(float(text_box.get()))
        self.display(self.current)
 
sum1 = Calc()
root = Tk()
calc = Frame(root)
calc.grid()
 
root.title("Calculator")
text_box = Entry(calc, justify=RIGHT)
text_box.grid(row = 0, column = 0, columnspan = 3, pady = 5)
text_box.insert(0, "0")
 
# make the buttons
numbers = "789456123"
i = 0
bttn = []
for j in range(1,4):
    for k in range(3):
        bttn.append(Button(calc, text = numbers[i]))
        bttn[i].grid(row = j, column = k, pady = 5)
        bttn[i]["command"] = lambda x = numbers[i]: sum1.num_press(x)
        i += 1
 
bttn_0 = Button(calc, text = "0")
bttn_0["command"] = lambda: sum1.num_press(0)
bttn_0.grid(row = 4, column = 1, pady = 5)
 
bttn_div = Button(calc, text = chr(247))
bttn_div["command"] = lambda: sum1.operation("divide")
bttn_div.grid(row = 1, column = 3, pady = 5)
 
bttn_mult = Button(calc, text = "x")
bttn_mult["command"] = lambda: sum1.operation("times")
bttn_mult.grid(row = 2, column = 3, pady = 5)
 
minus = Button(calc, text = "-")
minus["command"] = lambda: sum1.operation("minus")
minus.grid(row = 3, column = 3, pady = 5)
 
point = Button(calc, text = ".")
point["command"] = lambda: sum1.num_press(".")
point.grid(row = 4, column = 0, pady = 5)
 
add = Button(calc, text = "+")
add["command"] = lambda: sum1.operation("add")
add.grid(row = 4, column = 3, pady = 5)
 
neg= Button(calc, text = "+/-")
neg["command"] = sum1.sign
neg.grid(row = 5, column = 0, pady = 5)
 
clear = Button(calc, text = "C")
clear["command"] = sum1.cancel
clear.grid(row = 5, column = 1, pady = 5)
 
all_clear = Button(calc, text = "AC")
all_clear["command"] = sum1.all_cancel
all_clear.grid(row = 5, column = 2, pady = 5)
 
equals = Button(calc, text = "=")
equals["command"] = sum1.calc_total
equals.grid(row = 5, column = 3, pady = 5)
 
root.mainloop()

http://teampython.wordpress.com/2012...nn-calculator/