Skip to main content

Google Revamping Gmail and Android Security

Google Revamping Gmail and Android Security

Currently, Google Account users grant an app a lot of permissions to access their Google Account data in one fell swoop. After the changes are implemented, consumers will be able to grant or deny each permission individually.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • Oct 10, 2018

Google will soon be offering Android users more specific control over Google Account data they can choose to share with third-party apps with Google’s application programming interfaces (APIs). Google announced this and other changes to Android and Gmail security in a post on their Google Developers blog Monday.

The changes come as part of “Project Strobe,” in which Google is reviewing third-party developer access to Google account and Android device data. In turn, Project Strobe comes after after questions from U.S. lawmakers about the ways Google controls and monitors third-party developer access to Gmail content and user data following a July report alleging employees of third-party developers often access Gmail content.

Currently, Google Account users grant an app a lot of permissions to access their Google Account data in one fell swoop. After the changes are implemented, consumers will be able to grant or deny each permission individually.

For example, if a developer requests access to Google Calendar data and Google Drive, a user can allow access to one and deny access to the other as they choose. The change gives the user more control over their own data.

On their blog, Google recommends to app developers that they request permission to access Google Account data only when necessary. They also suggest that developers include a clear explanation of why the app needs access to user data and what user data will be used for.

Next year, Google will also restrict access to Gmail content to apps that directly work to enhance email functionality.

These changes will roll out to new clients beginning this month and will be extended to existing clients early next year.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Squire Vulcan Combination Padlocks

    Squire Locks USA Vulcan™ Resettable Combination Padlocks

    Stop competing with flimsy, retail-grade hardware—Squire's professional-grade resettable padlocks deliver heavy-duty boron steel shackles and front-facing dials for rugged outdoor environments.

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.