Popular Apps: What Information They Get from Your Phone

It’s hard to imagine having a phone and not use apps. These apps are our gateway to the online services we need, from entertainment to logistics, to social media. And to make sure they function as advertised, these apps ask for permission to access certain information from your phone. That said, here is the information that popular apps requests from your phone.

Author’s note: The key permissions posted below are based on the Android versions of the apps that are available to the public via the Google Play Store.

Lazada

This app has access to:
• Camera: to take pictures and videos
• Device ID & call information: to read phone status and identity
• Calendar: to read calendar events plus confidential information. Add or modify calendar events and send email to guests without owners’ knowledge.
• Phone: read phone status and identity
• Microphone: to record audio
• Device & app history: to retrieve running apps
• Storage: to read, modify, or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Location: to get approximate (network-based) or precise (GPS and network-based) location, and access extra location provider commands.
• Wi-Fi connection information: to view Wi-Fi connections
• Photos/Media/Files: to read the contents of your USB storage, access USB storage filesystem, and modify or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Contacts: to read your contacts

Shopee

This app has access to:
• Contacts: to read your contacts
• Phone: read phone status and identity
• Wi-Fi connection information: to view Wi-Fi connections
• Location: to get approximate (network-based) or precise (GPS and network-based) location, and access extra location provider commands.
• Storage: to read, modify, or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Photos/Media/Files: to read the contents of your USB storage, access USB storage filesystem, and modify or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Microphone: to record audio
• Device ID & call information: to read phone status and identity
• Camera: to take pictures and videos
• Calendar: To read calendar events plus confidential information. Add or modify calendar events and send email to guests without owners’ knowledge.

Spotify

This app has access to:
• Contacts: to read your contacts
• Phone: read phone status and identity
• Identity: to find, add or remove accounts on the device
• Wi-Fi connection information: to view Wi-Fi connections
• Location: to get precise (GPS and network-based) location
• Storage: to read, modify, or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Photos/Media/Files: to read the contents of your USB storage, access USB storage filesystem, and modify or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Microphone: to record audio
• Device ID & call information: to read phone status and identity
• Camera: to take pictures and videos

Netflix

This app has access to:
• Photos/Media/Files: to read the contents of your USB storage, access USB storage filesystem, and modify or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Microphone: to record audio
• Storage: to read, modify, or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Wi-Fi connection information: to view Wi-Fi connections
• Phone: read phone status and identity
• Device ID & call information: to read phone status and identity

Facebook

This app has access to:
• Contacts: to read and modify your contacts, and find accounts.
• Phone: read phone status and identity, and directly call phone numbers
• Identity: to read your own contact card, and find, add, or remove accounts on the device.
• Wi-Fi connection information: to view Wi-Fi connections
• Device & app history: to retrieve running apps
• Location: to get approximate (network-based) or precise (GPS and network-based) location
• Storage: to read, modify, or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Photos/Media/Files: to read the contents of your USB storage, access USB storage filesystem, and modify or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Microphone: to record audio
• Device ID & call information: to read phone status and identity
• Camera: to take pictures and videos
• Calendar: To read calendar events plus confidential information. Add or modify calendar events and send email to guests without owners’ knowledge.

Instagram

This app has access to:
• SMS: to receive text messages (SMS)
• Contacts: to read and modify your contacts, and find accounts.
• Phone: read phone status and identity, and directly call phone numbers
• Identity: to read your own contact card; and find, add, or remove accounts on the device.
• Wi-Fi connection information: to view Wi-Fi connections
• Device & app history: to retrieve running apps
• Location: to get precise (GPS and network-based) location
• Storage: to read, modify, or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Photos/Media/Files: to read the contents of your USB storage, access USB storage filesystem, and modify or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Microphone: to record audio
• Device ID & call information: to read phone status and identity
• Camera: to take pictures and videos

Twitter

This app has access to:
• Contacts: to read and modify your contacts, and find accounts.
• Phone: read phone status and identity, and directly call phone numbers.
• Identity: to read your own contact card, and find, add, or remove accounts on the device.
• Location: to get approximate (network-based) or precise (GPS and network-based) location
• Storage: to read, modify, or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Photos/Media/Files: to read the contents of your USB storage, access USB storage filesystem, and modify or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Microphone: to record audio.
• Device ID & call information: to read phone status and identity
• Camera: to take pictures and videos

YouTube

This app has access to:
• Camera: to take pictures and videos
• Device ID & call information: to read phone status and identity
• Phone: read phone status and identity, and directly call phone numbers.
• Microphone: to record audio.
• Storage: to read, modify, or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Location: to get approximate (network-based) or precise (GPS and network-based) location
• Wi-Fi connection information: to view Wi-Fi connections
• Photos/Media/Files: to read the contents of your USB storage, access USB storage filesystem, and modify or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Contacts: to read and modify your contacts, and find accounts.
• Identity: to read your own contact card, and find, add, or remove accounts on the device.

Grab

This app has access to:
• Contacts: to read and modify your contacts, and find accounts.
• Phone: read phone status and identity, directly call phone numbers, and read call log.
• Identity: to read your own contact card; and find, add, or remove accounts on the device.
• Location: to get approximate (network-based) or precise (GPS and network-based) location.
• Storage: to read, modify, or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Photos/Media/Files: to read the contents of your USB storage, access USB storage filesystem, and modify or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Microphone: to record audio.
• Device ID & call information: to read phone status and identity
• Camera: to take pictures and videos

Angkas

This app has access to:
• Location: to get precise (GPS and network-based) location.
• Phone: read phone status and identity.
• Photos/Media/Files: to read the contents of your USB storage.
• Storage: to read the contents of your USB storage.
• Wi-Fi connection information: to view Wi-Fi connections.
• Device ID & call information: to read phone status and identity

GCash

This app has access to:
• Device & app history: to retrieve running apps
• Contacts: to read your contacts
• Location: to get approximate (network-based) or precise (GPS and network-based) location
• Phone: read phone status and identity
• Photos/Media/Files: to read the contents of your USB storage, access USB storage filesystem, and modify or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Storage: to read, modify, or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Camera: to take pictures and videos
• Microphone: to record audio
• Wi-Fi connection information: to view Wi-Fi connections
• Device ID & call information: to read phone status and identity

PayMaya

This app has access to:
• Contacts: to read your contacts
• Phone: read phone status and identity
• Photos/Media/Files: to read the contents of your USB storage, access USB storage filesystem, and modify or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Storage: to read, modify, or delete the contents of your USB storage.
• Camera: to take pictures and videos
• Microphone: to record audio
• Wi-Fi connection information: to view Wi-Fi connections
• Device ID & call information: to read phone status and identity

Take note that these are just key permissions and may change when apps get new features or receive updates. You can view detailed permissions by going to the Google Play Store, search for an app, tap on About this app, then scroll down to the bottom to see App permissions, then tap on See More.