Trusting 3rd parties with your info, what's your rule?

[Sebsweden]

So, I just downloaded a 3rd party Flickr-app, because the official one sucks. But in order to use it, I have to give it my Gmail account and password. (I login with my Gmail). How do you all feel about giving this information to a 3rd party app? (no disrespect to the developers implied

 

[Ray Adams]

If app uses OAuth, do not worry about it as application itself cannot see your password.

 

[RTGent]

With all due respect, you use Gmail and you're worried about third parties??

 

[windoors]

I use only a few apps, I only use apps with good reviews!

 

[RadioActive199]

Generally make sure that the app uses OAuth, moreover reframe from using your social network accounts like FB, twitter or something else, this way your information is more secure. And ALWAYS; ALWAYS makes sure to read the reviews on the app, it tells you a lot about the App.

 

[ag1986]

With all due respect, you use Gmail and you're worried about third parties??

Please provide at least one instance of Google illegally providing your email and/or other information to third parties without your permission (US/NSA does not count)

I'm tired of all the FUD around...

 

[RTGent]

Please provide at least one instance of Google illegally providing your email and/or other information to third parties without your permission (US/NSA does not count)

I'm tired of all the FUD around...

Illegally, unlikely or no; but there is the rub.

 

[Sebsweden]

With so many 3rd party apps (like 6tag, facebook-apps, and so on) I thought there would be some common sense guidelines to follow. What is oauth by the way? Thanks radioactive for your reply.

 

[6029KingStephen]

I'm also interested to know how you can tell if an app uses OAuth, rather than passing login info to the developer

 

[foxbat121]

Google login, Microsoft account login and Facebook login are typical examples of using OAuth where the login page is directly from correspondent company rather than from the app itself. So the login page is typically hosted in a web page (look just like when you login yourself via a browser) instead of an app's settings page and you will also need to grand permissions to the app right after login. With OAuth, 3rd party apps don't store your password at all. It gets a token from the login authority instead.

 

[Sebsweden]

That sounds like required reading for every smartphone -owner right there. Thank you foxbat

 

[Sebsweden]

Google being nice or not is neither here nor there. I still don't like to spread my password around. I sort of had to this time, because the official Flickr app is so horrible.

 

[6029KingStephen]

So, worst fears confirmed, that it can be done:
Dodgy Windows Phone app pulled from Microsoft store after telco customers' details leak online | ZDNet