Smart apps now outsmart users

Hyderabad: Connecting mobile apps with social media sites can be a sure fire invitation to trouble. The app feature automatically updates photographs clicked on the smart phone to social media websites like Google+ without the knowledge of the user.

Many apps seek permission to use certain applications of the handset including internet, GPRS and Bluetooth. If the users ‘approve’ the terms and conditions without checking, they are in a sense opening their lives for the world to see and comment.

Some of the apps automatically switch on the GPRS and/or the auto upload feature (depending on the app’s requirement). If a user allows automatic uploading of content like pictures into sites like Facebook or Google+, even pictures not meant for public viewing get uploaded.

“After purchasing a smart phone, I had suddenly gone on a selfie clicking spree. Within five minutes I got a Facebook alert saying someone has commented on my photograph and to my shock some 17 of my photographs which were not for public were up on Facebook. I could not even figure out how to remove them from my phone and had to rush to a neighbour’s place to use the laptop to remove them,” said Shruthi P, a student.

Moral of the story: Read the fine print, ask a pro before allowing apps to access content in the smart phone.