Line, Whatup APP and WeChat Question (Permissions and blocking, backing up, etc)

[newsmartphoner]

I have a question about the following three popular apps.

Line
WhatsAPP (What's up App)
WeChat

These questions are for each of the above apps.

1. Do you guys trust these three apps? They ask for so many permissions it is unbeliveable. I would like to use them as many of my friends and people I know use them, but the permissions they require scare me! I do not think it is reasonable for them to be asking to have so much control.

2. Do any of these allow any sort of message back up? Either to SD card or to a desktop?

3. When changing phones is it easy to transfer contact information and messages between the two phones?

4. Do any of these allow you to block a person, meaning they cannot see your name or anything about you, like facebook you just disappear off the planent to people that you block? There are certain people that have my number, but that I do not want to know my name, so blocking is very important.

Thanks

 

[newsmartphoner]

anyone?

 

[mikedt]

Hi... I can tell you about Wechat's permissions. As I do use Wechat and trust it. Can't comment about Line or Whatsapp as those are listed as "incompatible" on Play and not available, although I'm sure Play is actually wrong.

1.

Accounts:
It needs to store and retrieve it's account info.

Location:
It has a microblogging function and can geo-tag your pictures if you want.

SMS:
To do registrations or to register another device, forgotten passwords, etc.

Internet:
That's obvious.

Phone calls:
So it knows if you have an incoming or making a phone call, and won't disturb you.

Storage:
So it can store pics etc.

Run at startup:
I want that.

Bluetooth:
So it can use BT audio.

Camera:
So it can send pictures to your friends or microblog.

Microphone:
It does PTT:

Contacts:
So people can find you. Very useful for me, because WeChat put me back in contact with a couple of friends I not seen in like 3 years.

Affects battery:
Uses vibrator.


I would guess that Line and Whatsapp would use similar permissions for similar purposes.

2.

I'm not worried about message backup. If something is important I'll copy and paste it out. Might be a way to backup to SD or PC, not checked.

3.

Wechat's contacts are synced automatically. See previous comment about message syncing.

4.

Yes Wechat can completely block anyone if you want. I should add though Wechat is Chinese and uses servers in the PRC, so if you are an agent for certain govt. spook organizations or PRISM, it might be best not to use it.

Hope that answers your questions.

 

[WoohooGuy]

If you are particularly concerned about apps you install than use a good mobile security suite like Avast Mobile Security and a permission manager app like Permission Manager to regulate what an app can do on your device.

Note that if you have root the above mentioned apps are far more effective.