Facebook's Android App Is Asking for Superuser Privileges, Users Say (bleepingcomputer.com)

Catalin Cimpanu, reporting for BleepingComputer: The Facebook Android app is asking for superuser permissions, and a bunch of users are freaking out about granting the Facebook app full access to their device, an understandable reaction following the fallout from the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal. "Grants full access to your device," read the prompts while asking users for superuser permissions. These popups originate from the official Facebook Android app (com.facebook.katana) and are started appearing last night [UTC timezone], continuing throughout the day. Panicked users took to social media, Reddit, and Android-themed forums to share screengrabs of these suspicious popups and ask for advice on what's going on.

Comments

Solution

[Anonymous Coward]

#deletefacebook

Literally. Just remove that shit from your phone already! Then go out and do something more constructive with your life, rather than lazily scrolling through other people's "The best ..." life moments.

Re:Solution

[Anonymous Coward]

#deletefacebook

Oh, a "hashtag". Let's start a campaign about how shit one social network is on another shit social network.

Re:Solution

[mukinrestak]

IIRC my stock ROM on my last phone had facebook installed as an unremovable app. Depending on the phone's bootloader situation that could mean some folks CAN'T remove spywarebook. (Or their manufacturer's homebrewed spyware either)

No big deal

[DogDude]

It's really no big deal. What other data could they possibly collect that they don't have already? They have your location at every second of the day. They have all of your contacts. They have all of your emails and text messages. What else could they get that they don't have, already?

Re:No big deal

[Thelasko]

The app already asks for every single permission available.

The purpose of the Facebook app is:

1. harvest as much data as possible

1. bypass as many protections/ad blockers as possible

If you absolutely must use Facebook on your phone, do it using a web browser that is well secured. You won't really miss out on anything, but Facebook will.

Shocked I tell you

[Urinal Pube]

I'm most surprised that someone with enough technical merit to root their phone, would install the FB app to begin with.

Facebook

[ledow]

Hey Facebook.

Make one app. That has messenger in it. With a bunch of options of what I want it to do (run all the time for messenger, read my photos, etc.).

Try and not make it an app that literally sucks up all my storage just browsing (my gf filled her phone up twice to the brim, when we looked it was all data stored in the Facebook app - removed the app, reinstalled, all was fine again)

Then, maybe, just maybe, I'll consider installing it. But JUST that. Nothing else. No other apps to do the same thing. And, no, you really don't require (or will ever get) one percent of the permissions your current apps demand.

To be honest, the fact that you DELIBERATELY break the Facebook mobile website to remove messenger (when "View as Desktop Site" shows it perfectly well but in a not-nice format) pisses me off more than anything. You are literally trying to force me to use the apps and I have no interest in that.

You know what happens when you try to force people to use products/services they have no interest in? They go elsewhere.

Another 5 years and Facebook will be like MySpace is now.

Re:com.facebook.katana dishonorabru!

[Anonymous Coward]

Leave Facebook. You'll feel a lot better.

There is worse

[volodymyrbiryuk]

The fact that the shitty FB app is preinstalled on many android devices (and cannot be removet without root) is far worse.

No big deal

[WindBourne]

Say no and uninstall it.

Re:No need to freak out

[bondsbw]

Facebook needs the following permissions:

• Vote in government elections for you
• Full access to your bank account

The masses: "Eh... odd, but I really need to check Facebook." [OK]