Managing the permissions granted to mobile apps and other websites is not always easy. On Android, as on iOS, the situation has changed a lot in recent years. Here’s how.
Apps and other websites always want more from us, more data, more privileges, more control. And we often get more or less cumbersome inserts asking for permission to get or authorize this or that. And we make a choice for the very first time, without necessarily thinking about it. But not necessarily correct. You have the right to change your mind, of course. Here’s how.
How to change app permissions
Android and iOS offer a permission request system that only appears when you really need it, not when you install apps. And you can only grant this permission this time or until you change your mind.
On Android, open Settings, tap Security & Privacy, then Permission Manager to see which apps have which permissions. To change the setting, select an application from the list and act according to each permission. For example, for a location, you have: Always Allowed, Only Allowed While Using, Always Ask, or Access Denied.
In some cases, you have additional options. It refers to the location for the exact location. If the application has not yet requested such and such a permission, it is not displayed in the lists. You can also access these options through apps in settings. Select an app, then click Permissions.
On iOS, go to Settings, then Privacy & Security. You will then see a long list of permissions. Select a resolution, then an application to set it up. For example, in the case of photos, you can choose Selected Photos, All Photos, or None.
You can also go through the app entry on the main settings screen. Click on an app and you will see all its permissions. You can click on it to change one. Some of them are simple switches that can be activated or not.
You can also disable certain permissions for all of your apps. On Android, open Settings and tap Location, for example, or choose Security & Privacy, Privacy, and Privacy. On iOS, you can only turn off location access by going to “Privacy and Security”and then “Location Services”in Settings.
How to change site permissions
There are two aspects to consider here: permissions to access the system (for example, webcam or notifications) and permissions to store certain types of cookies.
In Google Chrome, click on the icon with three small dots in the top right corner, then select “Settings”. Click “Privacy and Security”then “Site Settings”. You can then click on one of the listed permissions to make your choice, or you can click on “Cookies and site data”and then “View all data and permissions to manage cookies for this particular site”.
In Microsoft Edge, the same goes for settings, then cookies and site permissions. You will see the permissions listed, click on one of them to manage it, and you can click “Manage and delete cookies and site data”to see all the saved data.
In Mozilla Firefox, go to settings (the icon with three horizontal lines) and under “Privacy and security”select “Settings”next to the permission to change it. You can also click “Manage Data”under “Cookies and Site Data”to see what’s stored.
Finally, in Apple Safari, go to Preferences and then Websites to control which sites have access to what. To manage cookies, in the settings, select “Privacy”and then “Manage site data”.
In all other browsers, you should have similar options in the settings. Some even go further, offering very practical abbreviations.