On the internet permission - its a difficult business decision for Google to allow users to restrict the Internet permission. If they did, every ad-supported app would overnight become an ad-free app.
On the other hand: Everything can now steal my data "just" so adverts can be shown. Really?!
To me that's more outrageous than the original points I listed. My device and my data are left permanently insecure, all to protect their adverts. Even though I purposefully don't use applications with in-built advertising (because they can't be trusted with permissions), I can't easily turn this off.
This really makes my phone suddenly feel like "A rented device who's main purpose is to deliver advertisements to me" instead of "Owned device that helps me managed my life and communicate".
> its a difficult business decision for Google
It's a really easy business decision: User security, user privacy and user control are king. If each application wants to tie "functionality working" along with "internet access" and "advert was displayed" than each application can implement that for themselves. It's not hard.
That this is all baked into the actual OS instead with no (easy/toggle) method of user override is nuts.
> "A rented device who's main purpose is to deliver advertisements to me"
You don't own these devices as long as someone else has root. This kind of crap is evidence that we are loosing the War On General Purpose Computation. A lot of people are scared of the power of a general purpose computer in the hands of the general public. Computers (especially internetworked computers) allow people to see throw scams, remove artificial scarcity, and work past propaganda. When middlemen feel their power is under attack, they tend to lash out in stupid ways to counterattack the perceived threat and reestablish their position.
In the end, the general purpose computer must be made back into an appliance, and the internet back into something closer to cable TV. I don't blame the average person for falling for this scam, as they are often ignorant of the underlying technology. However, a lot of people that really should know better have been distracted with shiny baubles and keep buying into these increasingly locked-down walled gardens, when they should be setting an example and working to educate others so they have the information they need when they vote with their wallet.
That's what happens when conflicting tasks are left to the same management/company. Google's business model is not to make a secure OS or protect your privacy, it is to sell your eyeballs and data to advertisers. Any conflict between these views will usually resolve, maliciously or otherwise, toward advertising. Why do you think AppOps was removed?
I am sure there are people at Google who are tearing their hair, screaming about these issues. But management wants more money, not security or privacy.
As long as people vote with their wallet and buy Google products, they are supporting this. Yes, "I just don't care" is implicit support.
