Until a few years ago, any app you installed on an Android device could see all other apps on your phone without your permission.

Apparently Android apps (even in current Android versions) can check for the presence of other Android apps by listing the apps they want to check for in their manifest file. Nothing stops them from listing dozens or hundreds of other apps, and some do exactly that. Up til Android 11 they didn’t even have to list the other apps in the manifest. Then Google “tightened” things to be almost as bad. Dumb move, Android.

  • WheelchairArtist@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5·
    3 days ago

    i also just use the website instead of their super restrictive “for security” apps that add no value. It is none of their business what is going on on my rooted phone. but i’m also a fossil cause i’m using a computer