Dozens of human rights organizations have sent an open letter to Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, requesting a change in the policy governing the pre-installation of applications on devices running Android, to allow users to independently remove manufacturer-installed software.
Human rights organizations are concerned that pre-installed applications can be used by unscrupulous manufacturers to collect user data and monitor them. Since these applications are delivered 'out of the box' and often have privileged permissions, users cannot remove them from their devices on their own.
The letter states that manufacturers of pre-installed applications hide behind the Play Protect brand, claiming that the software undergoes Google’s verification. However, a study has shown that up to 91% of pre-installed applications cannot be found in the official digital content store, Play Store. This may indicate that these applications do not undergo the mandatory verification required for software published in the Play Store before reaching user devices.
The authors of the letter believe that pre-installed applications pose the greatest threat to owners of low-cost devices. The message notes that 'privacy should not be a luxury available only to those who can afford to buy an expensive smartphone.'
The organizations that signed the letter, including Privacy International, are urging Google’s CEO to establish appropriate norms for manufacturers, tightening the rules for pre-installed software. In particular, the authors of the letter believe that users should have the ability to independently remove any applications from their devices, as well as background services that function even when the program is closed. Furthermore, pre-installed applications should undergo thorough verification, similar to that conducted for software published in the Play Store.
Source: 3dnews.ru
