[2Gkashmiri]

What is the point of "broad" location? Cant this be deducted from your cellular network? Wouldnt that save the trouble of keeping your GPS completly off ?

I saw on some new android phones something called "privacy features" which would mean not giving access to contacts for example. The problem is all apps know you are using this feature and they nag you to turn it off. Whats the point then? How I want the thing to be, "oh, the contacts permission is given but nothing here. Oh well. ". Same for location and SMS and other stuff.

I remember old ios, circa ios 5-6 had app permissions behind a password. I would take family phones and lock down location and contacts behind a password (it couldand inapp purchases prevent access to store and iTunes and browser if I remember) so for giving kids this this would be great.

That has never come to android.

[zzo38computer]

> How I want the thing to be, "oh, the contacts permission is given but nothing here. Oh well. ". Same for location and SMS and other stuff.

Yes, that is a good idea. The user could also program in more elaborate filters, e.g. to expose a subset of contacts data, random data instead of the actual data, spoofed locations, etc. Also can be distinguish read-only or read/write, etc. (If the user does not have all of these elaborate options and more, then the app writer might realize what is happening and then might program it to complain if there is nothing there. Also, such options can be helpful for testing purpose as well as for user customizability, too.)

(I don't use the cell phone, but nevertheless such thing like you mentioned can be good idea.)

[yosito]

> How I want the thing to be, "oh, the contacts permission is given but nothing here. Oh well.

That's actually a good idea. I wonder if any Android distros do this. In theory, it should be possible, but I don't know how tricky it would be to implement.

[kevin_thibedeau]

Broad location narrows you down to a neighborhood where your economic value can be inferred so the optimal ads can be directed at your way. No sense in showing Bentley ads to the poors.

[2Gkashmiri]

and i am saying that broad location can already be inferred from your cellular location