Google play forces updates like Windows 10

by
Anonymous Coward
in security on (#YVWF)
Microsoft recently copped flak over forcing users to accept Windows 10 updates. Some users have reported serious problems from Windows 10 updates which included system failure. Now Google is following the same path. Google Play now has a term in the licencing agreement which allows Google to force update any software on Android devices. Without root access most users will be SOL to block or fix problems.

The relevant text reads:
Updates. You may need to install updates to Google Play or related Google software that we introduce from time to time to use Google Play and to access or download Content. Content originating from Google may communicate with Google servers from time to time to check for available updates to the Content and to the functionality of Google Play, such as bug fixes, patches, enhanced functions, missing plug-ins and new versions (collectively, "Updates"). Your use of the Content you have installed requires that you have agreed to receive such automatically requested Updates. If you do not agree to such automatically requested and received Updates then please do not use the Google Play store or install this Content.

Full terms at:
https://play.google.com/intl/en-us_au/about/play-terms.html

Just the Other Day (Score: 1)

by sudo@pipedot.org on 2016-01-22 18:24 (#11HHK)

I hate forced updates but, up until now, have only had to deal with that on my Playstations. This happened to me just the other day. I had long resisted giving out my personal information in order to use the Google Play app, for as long as I've had the Android phone, but I wanted a particular app, and could find no other way to get it on my phone. The minute I plugged my email address into Google Play, I got hit with a number of updates, and could do nothing about it. To top it off, I couldn't get the stupid app to work. By now, Google has undoubtedly scooped up all my contacts, and god knows what else. I swear, it's becoming very difficult to keep Google's tentacles out of all your shit. Do we really have to jailbreak Android now, too?
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