[#1]

I was very anxious to try out this app, but surprised that when I started to install on my Droid X it requested access to "read contact data".  I am sensitive to privacy issues, and particularly concerned when an app wants information about my contacts as that impact the privacy of others.

 For that matter, I am not clear why the app needs access to my phone ID, or why it needs to start at boot time.

 Can you shed any light on these requirements?

[#2]

Pavlik:

The app has a feature that allow you to email a file as an attachment. Granting access to your contacts allows easy addressing of these emails. [Edit: This answer turns out to be incorrect. Mozy will be updating the application to address which permissions it requests.]

As to the other two questions, let me check with a colleague.

--Ted

[#3]

Thank you Ted.   May I suggest that you address this issue directly in the product description in the Android Market, or at least make it clear in your privacy policy?  I don't know how many people like me there are out there, but I tend to shy away from any application requiring personal information if there is no obvious reason related to the core function of the app.  This is especially true if there is an obvious potential mis-use (e.g. collecting contacts and then marketing to them without my permission or their permission).

[#4 · Accepted solution]

That's a good request, Pavlik. I'll talk to my colleague Dave, who submits the app into the market, to see about adding that information.

[#5]

Hey, Pavlik:

It turns out that I was incorrect on why the app requests permission for your contacts. In the official release (now in the Android Market), this has been removed. Thanks for pointing it out to us. You're inquiry was directly related to that permission getting removed from the official release.

--Ted

[#6]

Thank you, I noticed this morning that it was on the market without requiring contacts.

Howver, when I try to install from the market I get a failure message saying "Package file was not signed correctly".  Is this a known problem?

Also, I'm still wondering why the application needs permission to start at boot time.

[#7]

"Package not signed correctly" means that you need to remove the beta app from your device before installing.

Let me check on the permission to start at boot.

[#8]

It seems that you are running the BETA version on your phone.  You will need to do an uninstall and install the released version and this should solve your problems.  Please post your finding here in the forum.

Thanks,

Tech  :-)

[#9]

Yes, I needed to de-install the beta.  I have the released version installed now.

Thanks,

Pavlik

[#10]

Hi Ted

I'm afraid this issue hasn't been resolved. I have just joined Mozy on a trail basis and wish to download the App to my HTC. However the Android Market states that the app requires access to my phones contacts to which I am obviously not going to allow. 

Drop Box doesn't ask for these permissions and I'm not sure why Mozy should?

Kind regards,

Tony