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Re:Don't Download Apps by jsheard on Wednesday November 26, 2025 @05:02PM (#46062874)
> I'm convinced many companies purposely gimp their web sites to drive people to apps.

And then their app is just a webview wrapper. But that still gives them more access to your device.

Re:Don't Download Apps by raw_anon_1111 on Wednesday November 26, 2025 @08:41PM (#46064504)
Exactly what access do you think they have that you don’t specifically allow that they don’t have from a web browser - running on the same device?
Re:Don't Download Apps by vachina on Wednesday November 26, 2025 @11:52PM (#46065799)
Apps can leverage system APIs, gain always-on persistence.

Not long ago Facebook (Meta) was caught spinning up localhost server on Android devices to gather activities outside of the app.

Re:Don't Download Apps by raw_anon_1111 on Thursday November 27, 2025 @12:01AM (#46065843)
On iOS devices you can turn off the ability to allow apps to wake up on a one by one basis “background refresh”.

And if you are concerned with your privacy, it’s nonsensical to buy a phone run by an adtech company that only made the operating system in the first place to sell ads and collect your data

Re:Don't Download Apps by chasing0entropy on Wednesday November 26, 2025 @09:43PM (#46064963)
That's an easy one, hold my beer:

Pwa with permissions granted gives access to: Location, create notification, phone state, phone #, IMEI, motion data

Mobile app with permissions gives access to EVERYTHING a pwa gets PLUS, Contacts, sms, notification content, biometrics data, web browsing data, phone activity history, location history, camera access, microphone access, NFC access, near device history, nearby wifi listing, saved wifi networks, Bluetooth device ID, Bluetooth beacons nearby, some device settings, personal data access(photos/music)

Re:Don't Download Apps by raw_anon_1111 on Wednesday November 26, 2025 @09:45PM (#46064977)
So you mean if I give an app permission to do something it has permissions to do that thing? How is that a security issue to be worried about?

And iOS doesn’t allow third party apps to intercept SMS messages.

Re:Don't Download Apps by dwedge on Thursday November 27, 2025 @01:38PM (#46072014)
It's rare for me to see this sarcastic attitude in replies on Hacker News. It's common on Reddit, but not here.
Re:Don't Download Apps by raw_anon_1111 on Thursday November 27, 2025 @01:48PM (#46072097)
I mean it wasn’t a great argument that apps can do stuff after you give it permission to do stuff.
Re:Don't Download Apps by senordevnyc on Thursday November 27, 2025 @07:44AM (#46068749)
Maybe on Android. Literally half of that shit isn’t accessible by iOS apps even with full permissions. This feels like you’re just throwing shit against the wall.