The Student News Site of Shawnee Mission Northwest

SMNW

The Student News Site of Shawnee Mission Northwest

SMNW

The Student News Site of Shawnee Mission Northwest

SMNW

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Carrier IQ has too high of an IQ

A recent realization has led to one of the most concerning invasions of privacy in the past few years.

On top of issues with Facebook privacy settings, I now have to face the possibility that someone is also following and tracking my every move on my Android phone.

Android developer Trevor Eckhart has claimed that the software developed by Carrier IQ could be considered spyware. The software can track every keystroke that the user makes, as well as every button that is pressed. Eckhart says that it stores every search you make and every app that you ever download.

These allegations would be violating wiretap law, and Carrier IQ has vehemently denied such violations of privacy.

In a statement by the company, their “software does not record, store or transmit the contents of SMS messages, email, photographs, audio or video.”

“As a condition of its contracts with operators, Carrier IQ operates exclusively within framework and under the laws of the applicable jurisdiction,” the press release said.

They claim to be only trying to help. I’ve always wondered how my phone knew that it had shut off unexpectedly, and where that “handy” little message asking me if I wanted to report that malfunction came from.

But now that I actually know they already have been made aware of this shutdown since they monitor anything anyways, it doesn’t seem as helpful as before.

They are supposedly using the information to “deliver intelligence on the performance of mobile devices,” but it just seems that this company’s product, which has come pre-installed on approximately 140 million smart phones, is out to get me and get all up in my business.

I find Eckhart’s realization frightening, not to mention creepy. I don’t have anything to hide on my phone, but I would prefer if some random guy in Mountain View, Calif. couldn’t look at what I’m doing on a whim.

You can read Carrier IQ’s press release and judge for yourself.

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Carrier IQ has too high of an IQ