List trackers and permissions of all installed Android applications with Exodus
Exodus is a free privacy application for Google's Android operating system that reveals the use of trackers of installed Android applications and their permissions.
We reviewed Exodify, browser extensions by the Exodus project, back in 2018 and covered the web service Exodus as well back then. Users may use the browser extensions to display permission requests and tracker uses of any app on Google Play, or run searches for applications on the Exodus website.
Exodus was mentioned in Günter Born's article on LastPass' extensive use of trackers in the service's Android application.
The Exodus application is available on Google Play. Its main advantage over the browser extensions or web service is that it will scan all installed applications on an Android device to return each application's use of trackers and its requested permissions.
Usage is pretty simple: download the app from Google Play and run it after installation. It will scan the installed applications automatically, lists them, and displays the number of trackers and permissions for each.
The app uses colors to make it easier for users to distinguish between apps that use little or no trackers or permissions, and apps that use them heavily. Green background colors mean that the app does not use any trackers or has not requested extra permissions, yellow that some are used or have been requested, and red that a lot of trackers are used or a lot of permissions have been requested.
You may tap on any application to display a profile page. The page lists the installed version and test version, all trackers and all requested permissions with a short explanation. A tap on a permission or tracker opens even more details, e.g. when you select a tracker you get a list of other installed applications that use it as well.
You may also activate a link to open the application's profile page on the Exodus website to get additional information such as purposes of trackers if known.
The results depend on the applications that you have installed, but most users will probably notice that the majority of installed applications do use one or more trackers. Use of trackers or lots of permissions is not always a sign that something bad or fishy is going on, but it can be an indicator.
Exodus offers some interesting options, such as:
- Checking all installed browsers for trackers.
- Making sure that important applications don't use trackers.
- Spotting apps or games that go over the board with trackers or permissions to drop them.
It is necessary to check the list of requested permissions and/or trackers. Some application types, web browsers for instance, require more permissions than apps that have a narrower focus.
Closing Words
Exodus offers an interesting service. It needs to be noted that the app requires Internet connectivity as it uses a central database and not real-time scanning for its analysis; this means, that it is possible that some applications have not been scanned by Exodus or that earlier versions have been scanned only.
Still, if you want to quickly check permissions and trackers of all installed Android apps on a device, it is a good way of doing that.
Now You: Do you check trackers or permissions before installing apps on your mobile devices?
Uhh, this has already been possible – I am not sure how but remember my brother telling me about it. I’m not a whatsapp user so not sure of the specifics, but something about sending the image as a file and somehow bypassing the default compression settings that are applied to inbound photos.
He has also used this to share movies to whatsapp groups, and files 1Gb+.
Like I said, I never used whatsapp, but I know 100% this isn’t a “brand new feature”, my brother literally showed me him doing it, like… 5 months ago?
Martin, what happened to those: 12 Comments (https://www.ghacks.net/chatgpt-gets-schooled-by-princeton-university/#comments). Is there a specific justifiable reason why they were deleted?
Hmm, it looks like the gHacks website database is faulty, and not populating threads with their relevant cosponsoring posts.
The page on ghacks this is on represents the best of why it has become so worthless, fill of click-bait junk that it’s about to be deleted from my ‘daily reads’.
It’s really like “Press Release as re-written by some d*ck for clicks…poorly.” And the subjects are laughable. Can’t wait for “How to search for files on Windows”.
> The page on ghacks this is on represents the best of why it has become so worthless, fill of click-bait junk…
Sadly, I have to agree.
Only Martin and Ashwin are worth subscribing to.
Especially Emre Çitak and Shaun are the worst ones.
If ghacks.net intended “Clickbait”, it would mark the end of Ghacks Technology News.
Ghacks doesn’t need crappy clickbaits. Clearly separate articles from newer authors (perhaps AIs and external sales person or external advertising man) as just “Advertisements”!
We, the subscribers of Ghacks, urge Martin to make a decision.
because nevermore wants to “monetize” on every aspect of human life…
“Threads” is like the Walmart of Social Media.
How hard can it be to clone a twitter version of that as well? They’re slow.
Yes, why not mention how large the HD files can be?
Why, not mention what version of WhatsApp is needed?
These omissions make the article feel so bare. If not complete.
Sorry posted on the wrong page.
such a long article for such a simple matter. Worthless article ! waste of time
I already do this by attaching them via the ‘Document’ option.
I don’t know what’s going on here at Ghacks but it’s obvious that something is broken, comments are being mixed whatever the article, I am unable to find some of my later posts neither. :S
Quoting the article,
“As users gain popularity, the value of their tokens may increase, allowing investors to reap rewards.”
Besides, beyond the thrill and privacy risks or not, the point is to know how you gain popularity, be it on social sites as everywhere in life. Is it by being authentic, by remaining faithful to ourselves or is it to have this particular skill which is to understand what a majority likes, just like politicians, those who’d deny to the maximum extent compatible with their ideological partnership, in order to grab as many of the voters they can?
I see the very concept of this Friend.tech as unhealthy, propagating what is already an increasing flaw : the quest for fame. I won’t be the only one to count himself out, definitely.
@John G. is right : my comment was posted on [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/08/23/what-is-friend-tech/] and it appears there but as well here at [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/07/08/how-to-follow-everyone-on-threads/]
This has been lasting for several days. Fix it or at least provide some explanations if you don’t mind.
> Google Chrome is following in Safari’s footsteps by introducing a new feature that allows users to move the Chrome address bar to the bottom of the screen, enhancing user accessibility and interaction.
Firefox did this long before Safari.
Basically they’ll do anything except fair royalties.