Why does Pandora need to access contact information?

andadroid · Feb 18, 2010

Anyone have any ideas? I can't imagine Pandora needs to know my co-workers email addresses to determine what songs I like. If there isn't another logical explanation I have to assume they're collecting contact data.

JBH · Feb 19, 2010

I started paying attention to things like this just recently. Installed Pandora on my other phones e.g. Blackberry and never worried about it. But when I saw Pandora needed access to my Contacts, I canceled.

andadroid said:
Anyone have any ideas? I can't imagine Pandora needs to know my co-workers email addresses to determine what songs I like. If there isn't another logical explanation I have to assume they're collecting contact data.

andadroid · Feb 19, 2010

I downloaded Slacker Radio instead. They don't have access to contacts.

momoceio · Feb 19, 2010

My guess would be that it needs access for the sharing feature that lets you share what you're currently listening to with a contact.

JBH · Feb 19, 2010

Ahhhh, makes sense.

momoceio said:
My guess would be that it needs access for the sharing feature that lets you share what you're currently listening to with a contact.

andadroid · Feb 19, 2010

That does make sense if that's now it works. I've never used the app. I assumed you had to type in an email to share, but if it searches your contacts it would need access. Nevertheless, I'm sticking with slacker for now.

androy · May 1, 2010

Did Pandora ever specify what it does with our contact info? its not like I have top secret info but its still troubling to know that they can download all of it.

dzine2fit · May 1, 2010

Pandora acessed my contacts through facebook, and it pulled up a list of people that use pandora already and offered me to add them to my friend list on pandora, I did sent the invite and now I can see their faves and stations and vice versa. And the people who dont have pandora on my list I can either iinvite or skip that option. I love pandora

DarkTLRrider · May 2, 2010

andadroid said:
Anyone have any ideas? I can't imagine Pandora needs to know my co-workers email addresses to determine what songs I like. If there isn't another logical explanation I have to assume they're collecting contact data.

So they can call your mom and tell her you are listening to devil music.

Foxcow · Sep 30, 2010

I too was worried why Pandora wanted this info. Yesterday, I sent an email to the Pandora privacy department and got a response a few hours later.

Here is what I sent:

Hello,

I am an Android mobile device user. With the most recent update, I noticed that the Pandora application requires acces to personal info (read contact data) on my device. I read through the Pandora privacy statement hoping to discover the reason why but could not find anything.

Can you please explain to me why Pandora wants to read contact data on mobile devices? I have been an avid user of Pandora's services (paid and free) as it in my opinion the best service at this time. However, without a reasonable explanation of why Pandora requires this data, I will be forced to consider an alternative service.

Thank you,
blah, blah, blah

I got this in response a few hours later:

Hi blah, blah, blah,

The Pandora application includes the capability (entirely under your control) to share your stations with your friends. On installation of the application, you are warned about this capability. If you decide that you want to share a station, Pandora will allow you to select addresses from your contact list. This function would always be initiated by you. Our application does not mine data from the address book or anything else nefarious like that.

Hope this helps. Thanks so much for listening!

Kindest regards,

blah, blah, blah

Many people have speculated that this was the case but who is to know whats true unless it comes from the horses mouth. At this time, my fears have been allayed but will continued to closely watch every application's requested list of permissions.

I hope this helps.

mkhopper · Sep 30, 2010

Sometimes I think this whole privacy thing gets people all riled up for little reason.

"OMG, Pandora wants contact information??!?!11"

If it were some unknown application, sure it's probably good to question it, but in this case, it's a highly known and used application / company.

Does anyone honestly believe Pandora is going to be vacuuming your contact information and storing it on their local servers, while someone sits there, wringing their hands in an evil way, laughing about the sheer amount of phone numbers and email addresses they have to play with and sell?

If everyone is so worried about information leaking out, then build a hut out in the forest and don't be online at all.

Foxcow · Sep 30, 2010

mkhopper said:
Sometimes I think this whole privacy thing gets people all riled up for little reason.

"OMG, Pandora wants contact information??!?!11"

If it were some unknown application, sure it's probably good to question it, but in this case, it's a highly known and used application / company.

Does anyone honestly believe Pandora is going to be vacuuming your contact information and storing it on their local servers, while someone sits there, wringing their hands in an evil way, laughing about the sheer amount of phone numbers and email addresses they have to play with and sell?

If everyone is so worried about information leaking out, then build a hut out in the forest and don't be online at all.

The sale of user info is certainly not beyond the pale as it has happened before. People get riled up over this "whole privacy thing" because its a big deal.

Foxcow · Sep 30, 2010

An interesting read on the subject

TaintDroid Tracks Leaks of Personal Data to Ad Firms | Fast Company

A.Nonymous · Sep 30, 2010

Foxcow said:
The sale of user info is certainly not beyond the pale as it has happened before. People get riled up over this "whole privacy thing" because its a big deal.

Agreed. It is a big deal. It's also a good thing that Pandora makes it perfectly clear what data they're accessing and why. That way end users can figure out if they want this or not. I've got no problems with Pandora accessing my data this way as they make it very clear what data they're accessing and why. The sad thing is that there are other apps accessing your information (looking at you MixZing) and won't tell you what data they're accessing or why and some people don't care.

tommy_ed · Sep 30, 2010

mkhopper said:
Does anyone honestly believe Pandora is going to be vacuuming your contact information and storing it on their local servers, while someone sits there, wringing their hands in an evil way, laughing about the sheer amount of phone numbers and email addresses they have to play with and sell?

THAT is probably one of the funniest things i have read on this forum

LOL

Mrwirez · Sep 30, 2010

DarkTLRrider said:
So they can call your mom and tell her you are listening to devil music.

hahaha fkn brilliant.

takeshi · Oct 1, 2010

It's important to understand the various capabilities granted by the permissions rather than to just make assumptions of what a permission is by its description. It's not unusual for an app to need a capability offered by a permission that isn't very clear if you're only reading the name of the permission. There are guides out there that detail what these permissions encompass. I don't have links handy but a quick Google search should yield them.

Phil Indeblanc · Feb 16, 2016

The answer Pandora gives on the Experts123 forum says "in order to send or share the music to your contact list"...etc..

BUT, if it left the handling of the field to the Android OS, this would already be managed and not need to let Pandora access it. So as much as they want to claim tis just for when you request access, its as dumb to think that you cell phone is seucre by you allowing this access and trausting that it will not be breached.

On the flip side, yoiu are giving Google all access to EVERYTHING you do on the phone.

Is there any OS that is not involved with data mining and simply lets you use the device as a pass through interface????
This is getting stupidly rediculous on the amount of privacy and rights we give up for the sole purpose of very little if any convenience and "fun tech"??!! Anyone developing an OS cell phone that is passive?

So I tried to use the Pandora.com without the app, but it forces Adobe Flash, and that doesn't support Android, so you either download the app or not use it.

NOT using it.

You don't know the importance of privacy until it is slowly chizelled away and then used against your will.

Off to SLACKER I go, and so should you!

electricpete · Feb 16, 2016

On the brightside, marshmallow will let you block any permission you choose.
(except internet oddly, but you can do that with a firewall)
(and of course blocking some permissions will cause the app to malfunction)

Phil Indeblanc · Feb 17, 2016

Yes, its nice that it mentions what it will access, unlike iOS, but I wish you could deselect what you want. Maybe Google needs to pressure app devs to be more flexible.

How would you block Pandora ,or others to not access your calendar or contacts?

LizMac · Feb 17, 2016

Pandora is notorious data miner. I don't use them. Currently I use slacker, on those rare occasions when I use such a thing.

Phil Indeblanc · Feb 17, 2016

And whats up with YELP needing such info...Like Location. I understand that you need it for the city you want to search, but it wont let you manually enter it. It requires to give up the location. WHY!? there is no reason for this as you can enter the location manually! But the app won't work unless you do so. How thoughtless!

Is there a cell phone OS with apps that don't require you to give up a bunch of data that you want to remain private????

I am so glad I switched from Apple, as their apps don't say anything about what the app is doing!

But, i'm finding some limitations (vs iOS apps) on some of the apps that are widely used.

Why does Pandora need to access contact information?

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