Clive Palmer’s Mobile Game Can Also Mine Data

Clive Palmer’s Mobile Game Can Also Mine Data

Two weeks ago Clive Palmer released a mobile game because of course he did.

Much like that time he shitposted anime for the lulz, his game was a clear publicity stunt. I mean, it was called Humble Meme Merchant, FFS.

But it may not just be a dumb sidescroller where you collect Not Tim Tams and rip on Bill Shorten. It also has the ability to mine your data.

[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2019/01/clive-palmer-mobile-game/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/50334675_557886488044125_4284529894110527488_n-410×231.jpg” title=”Clive Palmer’s New Mobile Game Is Not Good” excerpt=”If you were hoping the world would get better in 2019, turn away now lest your fragile optimism be crushed once more. Clive Palmer, the man plastered across those “Make Australia Great” billboards, now has a mobile game. It is called Clive Palmer: Humble Meme Merchant, and it is not good.”]

According to ABC News, the game’s Google Play page reveals that it can access a user’s name and email address, as well as their phone memory.

To be more specific, it has to the ability to read and modify your photos, media, files and USB storage.

None of this is explicitly stated on the store page, you need to check the Permissions section.

The app’s developer, Tom West, told the ABC that it doesn’t actually track any of this information and that it wasn’t designed to data mine.

“This app does not track anything whatsoever,” he said.

“The best way that people can actually go and check that on their Android device is to go into the settings, and app permissions, and they can see that the app has not requested access to anything.

“To actually access that information, we have to ask the user — which we don’t.”

West also told the publication that the location tracking was accidentally included due to using a software template to build the game.

This functionality is apparently not included in the iOS version of the app. According to West he has already begun updating the game to remove the identity permissions and location tracking.

Humble Meme Merchant is apparently West’s first foray into app development.

This Clive Palmer hiccup has occurred mere weeks after the United Australia Party sent out unsolicited texts to people, encouraging them to vote with the phrase ‘Make Australia Great’.

This was followed by another round of texts from the UAP that ironically promised to ban unsolicited political texts if elected.

[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2019/01/clive-palmer-refuses-to-stop-texting-people/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/clive-palmer-410×231.jpg” title=”Clive Palmer Refuses To Stop Texting People” excerpt=”In a world where everyone is connected all the time with no escape, we live and die by our ability to mute, block and ghost those whose company we don’t wish to keep. Unfortunately, there are some people who will continue finding ways to contact you, even when you would really rather they didn’t. Even more unfortunately, one of those people is apparently United Australia Party leader Clive Palmer.”]

[ABC News]


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