Dozens of advocacy groups have sent an open letter to Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai asking them to change their policy on pre-installing apps on Android devices so that users can uninstall downloaded software by the manufacturer.
Advocacy organizations are concerned that pre-installed applications could be used by unscrupulous manufacturers to collect data about users and spy on them. Because these apps come out of the box and often have privileged permissions, users cannot uninstall them from the device themselves.
The letter says that manufacturers of pre-installed applications hide behind the Play Protect brand, which says that the software is being tested by Google. However, a study has shown that up to 91% of pre-installed applications cannot be found in the Play Store branded digital content store. This may indicate that these applications do not pass the verification that is 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 danger to owners of low-cost devices. The report notes that "privacy should not be a luxury available only to those who can afford to buy an expensive smartphone."
Signatories to the letter, including Privacy International, are asking the CEO of Google to introduce appropriate regulations for manufacturers, making stricter rules for pre-installed software. In particular, the authors of the letter believe that users should be able to independently remove any applications from devices, as well as background services that function even if the program is closed. In addition, pre-installed applications must undergo a full review, similar to that for software published in the Play Store.
Source: 3dnews.ru