Kyle
A little over a week ago everyone was up in arms over the fact that Path was stealing people’s address book information.
Path was taking user’s contact information and uploading names, phone numbers and email addresses to their private servers. Path’s CEO Dave Morin, was applauded by many for facing the issue head on, apologizing and fixing it. Even after he was linked to posts when he was at Facebook that showed a similar behavior.
Of course as we expected, once this story broke more apps came out of the woodwork for doing the exact same thing. In Silicon Valley don’t dare throw stones unless you’re ready to break everyone’s windows.
Silicon Alley Insider dug up a handful of other apps that are taking a peak at what you may think is your private address book:
More after the break
Path- Path would still love your address book information, now though, they make it clear by asking your permission. Don’t just ignore those pop ups by pressing ok. Once you’ve pressed ok, you’re telling the app, it’s OK!
Facebook- Facebook will store your contacts on your behalf to tell you when your friends on your contact list either join Facebook or do something on Facebook. Android asks you when it’s installed if you want to sync all your Facebook contacts, none of your Faccebook contacts or just the contacts that you have contacts for already.
Foursquare- They just take a look at your contacts when you install the app to recommend friends that may be using the outdated check in service.
Twitter- In their new Twitter for iOS 5 that’s baked into the iPhone 4S, it will scan your contacts the first time it installs, but it doesn’t upload anything.
Instagram- They go the route that Path is now, asking for your permission explicitly before taking your contacts, but once you say it’s ok it’s free reign for the hipster loving photo app.
Skype- according to our friends at SAI, and checking into it a bit ourselves, it looks like Skype always has access to your Address book to help you make and receive Skype calls but it doesn’t upload the data anywhere.
So there you have it, feel safer now?
source: SAI
