The Carrier IQ software, installed on most modern Android, Blackberry and Nokia phones, is supposed to record some of the things phones do so manufacturers can do quality control. Except it’s also been logging everybody’s text messages, web searches, and phone calls. Which is pretty bad.
The workings of Carrier IQ were uncovered by a guy called Trevor Eckhart, who uploaded the above video, which shows the software logging keystrokes and encrypted web searches and sending the data to the IQ application – this in spite of the fact that Mountain View, IQ’s owner, denies that its software logs keystrokes.
Mountain View went on record as saying that the Carrier IQ was for
gathering information off the handset to understand the mobile-user experience, where phone calls are dropped, where signal quality is poor, why applications crash and battery life.
And of course knowing what users search, who users are calling, and what users are saying is equally important for extending battery life.
Even better, the application can’t be turned off without completely replacing a given phone’s operating system.
Happily, you’re okay if you have an iPhone.
[Source: WIRED]
