this post was submitted on 30 Mar 2025
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Privacy

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Everyone knows all the apps on your phone (peabee.substack.com)
submitted 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) by Ninjazzon@infosec.pub to c/privacy@lemmy.world
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Until a few years ago, any app you installed on an Android device could see all other apps on your phone without your permission.

Since 2022, with Android 11, Google removed this access from app developers. Under their new package visibility policy, apps should only see other installed apps if it’s essential to their core functionality. Developers must also explicitly declare these apps in the AndroidManifest.xml file - a required configuration file for all Android apps.

So I downloaded a few dozen Indian apps I could think of on top of my head and started reading their manifest files. Surely they will be respectful of my privacy and will only query apps essential to their app's core functionality? πŸ™ƒ

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[–] rc__buggy@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I have a shitty tracking app I have to use, I have it in the work profile with shelter, AFAIK that keeps it siloed from my regular apps

[–] Manalith@midwest.social 4 points 3 days ago (2 children)

What is this profile siloing you speak of?

[–] rc__buggy@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 days ago

"work profile" "work apps"

I haven't really looked into how it works, but it's supposed to keep the apps in the work profile separate. I use it because our time clock app is a privacy nightmare and I can completely disable it with one click when I'm not working.

I use an app from F-Droid called Shelter.