
Why aren’t app permissions reflected in app classifications? - benologist
https://medium.com/@PuzzleBoss/why-aren-t-app-permissions-reflected-in-app-classifications-44f27ff7d651
======
nitrogen
Google is a _search_ company as well as an ad company. Why can't I _search_
for apps based on the permissions they require? Still? In (almost) 2016?

~~~
theseatoms
Because they're an advertising company. And more transparent permissions will
get in the way of advertising.

~~~
maxerickson
I doubt it is even anything like that, I expect it's just that they know that
most of their users will never, ever, use that search feature, so they don't
bother with it.

~~~
nitrogen
It's just another facet, though. General purpose engines like ElasticSearch
can handle that.

For that matter, how many people use _site:_ or _filetype:_ in their Google
web searches, and yet those features exist?

~~~
nemothekid
I'd assume Google isn't doing it because no one at Google cares enough to
implement such a feature. Features like _site:_ and _filetype:_ are over 10
years old, and I'm sure _site:_ predates Google's IPO from when they were
still figuring out how to monetize.

Infact, I wonder how many new search operators Google has even added in th
epast 10 years.

------
ape4
I agree children should not be able to install a contact-accessing app.

~~~
jbob2000
Permission systems should not be a stand-in for good parenting. Monitor you
children's electronics, educate them on what the important things are and what
they mean.

~~~
mikeash
Can you be more specific about what actions one would take as part of "monitor
your children's electronics" to prevent these problems?

~~~
on_and_off
if you just want your toddler to access a couple of apps from your tablet,
create a restricted account that can only access these apps.

~~~
mikeash
What if I want something in between locking them down to a couple of apps, and
letting them accidentally send contacts to some app maker?

~~~
on_and_off
Ideally, you should have more granularity in the permissions of restricted
accounts, with the option to let the second profile install app but with a
prompt for the admin password when a new permission is required or a payment
is started.

Sadly, AFAIK, there is no way to do that.

~~~
mikeash
Right, so that's exactly the sort of thing being asked for, and it's what got
this annoying/useless "just monitor your kids" response.

------
Animats
Are there third-party search engines for apps?

~~~
marvy
apparently, yes. see my other comment in this discussion.

