Download With Caution: Romney, Obama Campaign Apps Have Privacy Flaws

puddingebola writes "Apps released by both the Obama and Romney campaigns have been found to have 'privacy issues.' From the article: 'Experts at GFI Software looked at the Android versions of both apps, discovering both to be surprisingly invasive. Obama for America and Mitt's VP request permissions, access to services and data and capabilities beyond their core mandate.'"

Comments

Flaw?

[Jeremiah Cornelius]

Assume this to be a feature - not a bug.

You are the crop they are harvesting.

Re:Flaw?

[b4dc0d3r]

"Flaw" was not used anywhere but the Slashdot headline. Yes it's intentional, paging Captain Obvious to story 3088225. Both the privacy invading features, and the troll-tastic headline. And you fell for at least one.

And I'll keep scripts disabled until this sort of shit improves. I have good enough karma to "disable advertising", but I don't do that. Any interesting story with a well-edited submission and no hyperbole or other misleading wording, and of course slashvertisements are disqualified, get a temporarily enable scripts and reload. There, you got your advertising eyeball. Until then, my visit is no reward.

Snore.

[Frosty Piss]

Is this much of a surprise? This sort of "app" is specifically designed for the designated politico to "leverage" the mindless sycophants that install such apps. As to leading people to "bad" parts of town, that's subjective and poor people can vote, too.

Re:this is what is called a "meta-joke"

[houstonbofh]

request permissions, access to services and data and capabilities beyond their core mandate

submitter is a republican if the subject of the joke is financial policy, because democrats want the government in your wallet

submitter is a democrat if the subject of the joke is social policy, because republicans want the government in your bedroom

And you are a fool if you think there is any difference between them. Both sides want power, and job security. Neither side cares about health care or social security, since they have a better plan for themselves. Vote Kodos...

The bigger question is...

[blackt0wer]

Who downloads a campaign app? What do you gain from that, that you cannot find on the news, twitter, or Youtube?

Re:this is what is called a "meta-joke"

[AK Marc]

The differences are inconsequential. The Democrats want tax and spend. The Republicans want tax and spend, they just want to borrow first, and tax their kids when they are dead. One fights for freedom of religion (as long as it's *their* religion) and the other fights for freedom from religion.

For an average wage earner, there is no functional difference between the two. Only the edge cases see a difference (self-employed, people whose primary income is not earned, and some others).