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Comment by PeterisP | Hacker News Reader

Exceptions are not a solution - instead of the OS request "grant permission X to install the app" you get an app request "grant permission X to run the app".

This is the exact scenario that needs to be avoided - if the app developer wants something that I don't want to give, then you can't rely on cooperation from the app.

The whole point is that if a flaslight app wants to read my SMS, then I shouldn't have to choose between using that app and keeping my privacy; the OS is perfectly capable of keeping that app in an ignorant bliss thinking that it read my SMS and can turn on the light.

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> flaslight app wants to read my SMS

I got so frustrated with flashlight apps asking for Internet access to show ads and getting stuck when there is no Internet (typically the same time when I need a flashlight) that I wrote one and made it completely permission free:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bigosaur.l...

hey, this looks great, but it's not actually working on either on either of my nexus 5s, is that a known issue? There's no crash or anything, the flashlight just doesn't actually turn on.

Apparently there are two APIs available for this. Unfortunatelly, none of the devices I have at hand use the other API so I cannot test. :(

If you want, I can send you the source code to try to modify it. Just e-mail me.

Beautiful in its simplicity. It Just Works. Tested on S4.

Sharing with friends ;).

because using system flashlight app is too edgy, huh? Why you need extra app for thing you have just build in Android ? Check your widgets for "Assistive light". Problem solved.

Becase that thing is built-in in Android since 4.2, which is fairly recent. People needed flashlight apps even two years ago.

I'll also note the TeslaLED app as another good one - it requires camera permissions to control the LED, plus screen drawing and sleep control - I suspect around the minimum that would be needed for a flashlight app.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teslacoils...

This is what I've always used. LampA doesn't work on my Galaxy Nexus. I was hoping it would start up quicker because my biggest peeve with Tesla is that it takes time not only to open the app but there is a hundreds of ms delay in turning on the LED. I assume the complexities causing this are also what prevent LampA from working.

here's the one referenced in the Fox inerview from Snoopwall. They seem legit. http://www.snoopwall.com/flashlight-apps-spying-revealed/

also http://resources.infosecinstitute.com/android-app-permission...

I'm in the "let them fake it" camp, but at the same time I think the exception throwing version could work, with a single tweak borrowed from iOS: Let the app ask for the permission once, and only once. That way repeatedly bugging the user for the permission won't work as a strategy.

What's wrong with downrating the app and moving on?

The original article gives flashlight apps as an example - all of the top 10 flashlight apps had such features; so "downrating the app and moving on" wouldn't be productive at least the first 10 times.

Better search features could help with this.

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