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points by joshuat 6 hours ago | 0 comments

This also happened on iOS when they began to prompt users before apps could access the clipboard. I built an app that would handle the inbound redirect automatically if you had a relevant URL in your clipboard - did this for years with many users happy with the feature.

Then it started prompting users before allowing them to paste, and then the claims of privacy violations began to come in.

If instead I were able to specify what was happening in the prompt rather than iOS giving users an ambiguous statement, or even provide a detection pattern, it wouldn't have been nearly as bad.

I feel like this really harms security and privacy awareness by flooding the field with unimportant prompts/warnings to the degree that a real issue is similarly ignored because it is assumed to just be noise.

[–] dd8601fn 6 hours ago

> If instead I were able to specify what was happening in the prompt rather than iOS giving users an ambiguous statement

No. They’re correct, there.

The app developer should not get to provide the message text for a prompt like that.

A secondary note somewhere in less than ten words, maybe, where it explicitly warns that the statement may be false.

[–] kalleboo 2 hours ago

> The app developer should not get to provide the message text for a prompt like that.

In App Store apps, where these messages get human review, it could more safely be allowed.

[–] i386 4 hours ago

This is the correct answer.

[–] ryandrake 6 hours ago

I think the visibility of these dialogs serves as a warning to the user--but they should do a better job directing the user's attention to where the threat is. If the user is getting annoyed at all these pop-ups, he should direct this annoyance at the developer who is (in all likelihood) asking for access to more of the user's computer than he needs.

The fact that there are so many popups should mean apps are reaching for access to your system way beyond what they should be. It shouldn't mean Apple needs to get rid of the pop-ups.

[–] mook 5 hours ago

I get the pop-up semi-frequently from Chrome. I don't think complaining to Google has ever helped with anything; but then it's not like complaining to Apple has a better track record.

Yes, I don't know why the OS isn't tracking the pop-up by bundle id or anything. It's not like I changed my mind the last dozen times…

[–] johncassil 6 hours ago

Regardless, apple should definitely not send popups unless an app is being engaged with.

[–] j16sdiz 2 hours ago

I love the clipboard warning.

before that, facebook was stealing everything on your clipboard and send back to their server.

This dialog is what it take to stop them.

and it have the pattern detect you asked.

[–] QuadmasterXLII 4 hours ago

as a user with an itchy delete app finger, this is exactly why i like apple.

[–] internet2000 5 hours ago

Counterpoint: do not read my clipboard without any action on my side, dude!