WordsWorth

CUSTOMER REVIEW



This app is the worst I have seen in ages in terms of how badly it violates our devices and our personal privacy. Please, do not install this. I will explain why, of course, but please... stay away from this app. This is a supposed "full version" game that has more Adware and Spyware than most "free" games! AND it has the Amazon IAP engine thrown in for good measure.



WOW, I've seen some seriously bad supposed "full version" or "paid" apps in my time, but this one is right up there with the biggest violators I've ever seen. This is nothing short of reckless-- but I'd vote for malicious. We are not cattle, do not farm us!



Twelve, count them, twelve undisclosed third party addons are included and silently installed along with this app.



Here they are:



ADVERTISING:

--Amazon Mobile Ads

--Chartboost

--GreyStripe

--InMobi

--MobClix

--TapJoy



LICENSING:

--Amazon In-App Billing



ANALYTICS:

--Flurry



OTHER:

--Facebook

--Twitter4j



The PERMISSIONS are as follows:

--Read only access to device state (Reads the unique DeviceIDs and also your personal info (including name) if on a cell phone)

--Get information about the currently or recently running tasks: a thumbnail representation of the tasks, what activities are running in it, etc (Inventories everything running on your phone/device/Kindle. This can be used to help build a behavior model on you)

--Open network sockets (Creates internet connections using anything it wants to, including 3G/4G/LTE. This can sip from your data plan if you have one)

--Write to external storage

--Access fine (e.g., GPS) location (Can see your location at FINE resolution!)

--Access information about Wi-Fi networks (Can scan the WIFI in your area, this can also help locate you)

--Access coarse (e.g., Cell-ID, Wi-Fi) location (Can scan anything and everything having to do with your device radios. Used for tracking you)

--Access the list of accounts in the Accounts Service (Gathers PERSONAL data on EVERYONE that uses this device if you have more than one account set up)

--Access information about networks (Can locate and then use (with the network sockets permission) ANY way to get to the internet that it pleases)

--PowerManager WakeLocks to keep processor from sleeping or screen from dimming (this keeps the screen and device itself from going to sleep while the game is running)

--Allows an application to receive messages via Google Cloud Messaging (This is an AMAZON app... this permission allows this app to receive PUSH NOTIFICATIONS from GOOGLE)



(I have to rant in the next paragraph, below, and I ask you to please forgive me, but this drives me nuts sometimes and I need to vent. Fair warning, right? ;)



Look, it comes down to this: this game is an obvious container for Adware, Spyware and user tracking. It is a HUGE violation of privacy. This is a GAME. What business does a PAID GAME have mining my personal data to hand to advertisers, or track my FINE location (or track my location at ALL), or attach itself to Google's push notifications engine, or open network sockets and use MY BANDWIDTH however it likes, OR collect my personal information and send it to the multitude of companies I listed above WITHOUT TELLING ME and WITHOUT MY OPTING IN??



I do not care if this app displays ads or not.. it is collecting and sending our data in the most scumbag of ways.



It is clear to me that this "game" is nothing more than a carrier for as much adware and spyware and tracking and marketing analysis and analytics garbage as they could possibly cram into it.



This app is sewage in digital form.



Please, please... do not install this. do not allow it on your device. Send this developer a message that we will not tolerate this.



Amazon, please, I ask you as a dedicated long time customer and reviewer, please: please remove this app as FAOTD. It's a mistake. This doesn't "feature" anything but trouble and I would beg of you to please, remove this and let your customers have a FAOTD that is safe and has real value, one that showcases a good developer (which is the idea of the FAOTD program, no?) that helps the Android platform shine.



Thank you.



P.S. Their privacy policy reads like a "here is how we plan to waterboard your device! WE WILL MAKE IT TALK!" It's pretty hilarious.