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February 18, 2013

Google Play offers your name, address and email to developers on a silver platter

by Gareth Mankoo

It’s true that the irresistible collage of applications and other tools that Google Play hosts are one-too-many. However, purchasing them is just a breeze once you’re through it the first time. All was fine and good for Sydney app developer, Dan Nolan till he discovered that this so-called central repository for Google Apps actually ports your name, address and email details to the application developer as soon as you purchase something from it, thanks to a certain ‘design flaw’. On his blog, Nolan stated, “Let me make this crystal clear, every App purchase you make on Google Play gives the developer your name, suburb and email address with no indication that this information is actually being transferred.” He continues, “With the information I have available to me through the checkout portal I could track down and harass users who left negative reviews or refunded the app purchase.”


This is really disturbing new for the countless millions who have availed of countless zillion applications from the famed store. According to Mr. Nolan, tens of millions of Google customers could be affected by this information leak. Think about all the malware and viruses that could easily sail into smartphones now!

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