Apps for protecting my Android from apps that collects my information

[chococat]

Hello, so I got a smartphone for the first time and I choose an android Samsung Galaxy Express, but I still have a week more before the 14 days trial if I want to change my phone for an IPhone 5.

So i'm new to all this smartphones and download apps things and when I download an app it shows that it has permisions to access my personal information, messages, my location, network comunication, my accounts, storage, phone calls, hardware controls, system tools, gps??

what is this? is this acceptable/normal? all of my apps are free apps. Is there an app or something that will help me protect my information or maybe block some trying to collect data from my phone and MicroSDHC card?

I don't mind If I have to buy an app in order to protect my phone. I also downloaded Lookout.

Also, is it safe for me to buy books, games, apps, etc from my android phone? I have never bought stuff online before...

Please help me and thanks!

 

[chococat]

bump! a little help, please?

 

[3bs]

Well you have to look at the app you're downloading and decide if it makes sense for it to ask for whatever it's asking. If an instant messaging app like whatsapp asks for your contacts then that makes sense.

 

[walie]

bump! a little help, please?

Consider this: at least Android tells you what it's going to access, the iPhone does not.

 

[thewitt]

Consider this: at least Android tells you what it's going to access, the iPhone does not.

Sure it does.

You need to authorize apps to access your address book, location and photos in iOS.

 

[chococat]

oh, so I just have to be careful and not download alot of apps and always read what they have "permission" to access to once I download the apps?

 

[Jessica Lares]

oh, so I just have to be careful and not download alot of apps and always read what they have "permission" to access to once I download the apps?

Get Norton Spot Ad Detector, it's free and it'll tell you which apps have access to what and weird behaviors they might be doing.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.symantec.android.spot

It's good to check around places like http://android.appstorm.net , http://www.androidpolice.com , and http://www.droid-life.com as they often do app reviews, and they have a really good reputation in the community. Pretty much anything worth your time will be covered.