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Israeli-founded app preloaded on Samsung phones is attracting controversy

(www.sammobile.com)
391 points croes | 3 comments | 17 Nov 25 16:54 UTC | HN request time: 0.803s | source
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hersko ◴[17 Nov 25 17:14 UTC] No.45955639[source]▶
So a Unity owned bloatware company being used by Samsung is now somehow controversial because it was founded in Israel? Am i reading this right?
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dogma1138[dead post] ◴[17 Nov 25 18:11 UTC] No.45956222[source]▶
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tehjoker ◴[17 Nov 25 18:57 UTC] No.45956726[source]▶
As a Jew, the soon as I hear "Israel" and "App" I think of Pegasus. In this genocide, the Israeli government has shown it will cross any line. Remember the pager attack? So I would like there to be zero Israeli controlled products anywhere near me. That plus everyone should be engaged in boycotts divestment and sanctions against the regime.
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vladgur[dead post] ◴[17 Nov 25 19:56 UTC] No.45957544[source]▶
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1. wahnfrieden ◴[17 Nov 25 20:05 UTC] No.45957636[source]▶
Why are you obfuscating the concern? The issue is not that it is an app that is popularly found on devices!

The issue is that it is an app which is forcibly installed without consent or disclosure, which has privileged access to the system and beyond the scope of the device vendor. To have no care for that reeks suspiciously of nationalistic bias.

edit: Please answer: Which country has backdoor control of the phones via this app?

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2. wahnfrieden ◴[17 Nov 25 22:59 UTC] No.45959411[source]▶
Why are you obfuscating the concern? Bloatware does not accurately describe remote control backdoor access.

Which country has backdoor control of the phones via this app?

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3. vladgur ◴[18 Nov 25 00:35 UTC] No.45960089{3}[source]▶
I read through the linked article and an article on smex.org and there was nothing about "remote control backdoor access".

It complains about inability to uninstall from the manufacturers handset which is a manufacturers decision.

Again both articles manufacture controversy simply by nature that the Appcloud is associated with an Israeli company, not by what the app actually does or not by the fact that nobody forced Samsung to install this app on their handsets.

If you have information showing that Samsung is selling phones that are remote controlled by another government or corporate actor, that would be extremely newsworthy. Please share these news when you find them