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0 pointsgnicholas9y ago0 comments

Just reinstalled Skype and can see that they're trying to get access to my contacts also. They tell you to set up access so you can use the app.

First up is microphone, and you click allow. Second is camera, and you click allow. Third is contacts, and you click—wait a minute, why do you need this? Disallow.

Don't know what they would do if they got my contacts (hopefully not spam them like LinkedIn), and don't intend to find out.

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CPLX9y ago

Well considering that Skype is mainly a way to, you know, contact people it doesn't seem actually insane to consider it.

gnicholasOP9y ago

Like many people, Skype is a fallback communication channel for me. I don't care if my brother or best friend is on Skype because I call them on the phone to talk, text message if I want to chat, or Facetime if I want to video chat.

I'd say Skype is a way to communicate with people, not a way to contact people. And for me, it's a method of last resort for people I can't call/text/Facetime/Hangout. I understand some people might say yes, but it's still somewhat deceptive to put this in the same category as "enable mic" and "enable camera", which Skype cannot operate without.

novia9y ago

Skype should be a little more private than your cell phone number is. If I add someone's phone number to my contacts list, that DOES NOT mean I want them automatically added as my Skype contact.

CPLX9y ago

Of course. But for them to ask doesn't seem like a dark pattern, since the main use case for the app is contacting people you know and it's reasonable to think most users don't want to micromanage different contact lists as you describe. The dark pattern stuff is more like when your app for rating ice cream flavors is asking for your entire address book.

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0 pointsgnicholas9y ago0 comments

Just reinstalled Skype and can see that they're trying to get access to my contacts also. They tell you to set up access so you can use the app.

First up is microphone, and you click allow. Second is camera, and you click allow. Third is contacts, and you click—wait a minute, why do you need this? Disallow.

Don't know what they would do if they got my contacts (hopefully not spam them like LinkedIn), and don't intend to find out.

0 comments

CPLX9y ago

Well considering that Skype is mainly a way to, you know, contact people it doesn't seem actually insane to consider it.

gnicholasOP9y ago

novia9y ago

Skype should be a little more private than your cell phone number is. If I add someone's phone number to my contacts list, that DOES NOT mean I want them automatically added as my Skype contact.

CPLX9y ago

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse