[tF73d78kq8t3R6n]

Let’s not beat around the bush here: this is a uniquely Android problem. Sure, there are some iOS jailbreaks out in the wild, but these are very few and far between. There was one for then-recent iOS versions earlier this year, but it came many years after the previous jailbreak of that kind. Superuser access to my iOS device isn’t something I need to worry about. But if I ran Android? It would be a real threat.

[chungus_khan]

This isn't really true. Jailbreaks are not the main concern here, privilege escalation vulnerabilities are. Those are discovered somewhat regularly in both Android and iOS. Jailbreaks on iOS make use of such vulnerabilities when they discover them, but most vulnerabilities are not discovered by jailbreakers. These sorts of vulnerabilities are also inherent to any complex operating system, not unique to Android.

Users "rooting" their Android phones also usually doesn't involve any sort of real exploit either. Android devices don't come with the ability for apps to run as root by default, and can have their firmware flashed to add a means of doing so. Doing this requires that the user unlock their bootloader, which wipes the device and often requires manufacturer authorization. Rooted devices have weakened security by being rooted, but this doesn't affect ordinary non-rooted devices.

[raxxorrax]

He consented to the collection and Apple would have exactly the same issues.

Also Android is marginally more useful than an iOS device. I know that it is fancy as a music player and social media apps, but it isn't really what it could be.

[rurban]

He consented to the collection only for marketing purposes, but explicitly not to be forwarded to/bought by criminal US government agencies.

[tome]

> He consented to the collection and Apple would have exactly the same issues.

Would it? In iOS you can selectively forbid applications from using locations services.

[raxxorrax]

My grandma uses an iPhone and it leaks far more data than her PC. Yes, the handling is the issue and here iOS is as bad as Android.

That is the metric I use to determine that the app store security model is bad.

[ben-schaaf]

> In iOS you can selectively forbid applications from using locations services.

The same is true on Android. I have location services denied on the browser I'm typing this from.

[saiya-jin]

so can you in Android... well guess what, it doesn't add any feeling of security on my chinese phone (and for any non-US person, chinese or american are the same - foreign powers gathering all data possible, which may or may not be used against you in the future).

[tome]

After having read the responses to my parent comment I'm confused. Why would disabling location services on his phone not have solved the problem?