What Does It Mean When You Allow An App Access To Your Media And Photos

As soon as you download an app to your phone, more than likely, the app will ask for your permission to access certain features.

But have you ever wondered what happens when you give an app permission to access your photos?

Apps such as Instagram request access to your photos as without access to the camera, the app can't function.

This is similar to Facebook Messenger, as many users will be sending photos to friends and saving picture messages.

According to Android , the purpose of a permission is to protect the privacy of an Android user.

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Android apps must request permission to access sensitive user data as well as certain system features.

Depending on the feature, the system might grant the permission automatically or might prompt the user to approve the request.

System permissions are divided into two groups: 'normal' and 'dangerous'.

Normal permission groups are allowed by default, because they don't pose a risk to your privacy.

What really happens when you allow an app to access your photos

Dangerous permission groups, however, can give apps access to things like your calling history, private messages, location, camera, microphone, and more.

Therefore, Android will always ask you to approve dangerous permissions.

Usually, there will be nothing to worry about as apps will purely just use the camera when you request them too.

But AVG , a security software company, say a malicious app can secretly turn on your camera and record what's going on around you.

Earlier this year, The Guardian reported that documentary maker Anthony van der Meer, allowed someone to steal their phone with the Find My Phone application installed.

After the person stole the phone, the original owner spied on every moment of the thief's life through the phone's camera and microphone.

And in 2017, Felix Krause said when a user grants an app access to their camera and microphone, the app could do the following:

access both the front and the back camera
record you at any time the app is in the foreground
take pictures and videos without telling you
upload the pictures/videos it takes immediately
run real-time face recognition to detect facial features or expressions

Have you ever wondered what happens when you give an app permission to access your photos?

How to protect yourself as a user

One way is to cover the camera with sticky tape or another material, but this isn't the most practical.
You can change the permissions that apps can access in the main settings app on your device at any time. Keep in mind turning off permissions may cause apps on your device to lose functionality.