Help/explanation for permissions?

[dandv]

Three of the most commonly requested device identification permissions by apps are getDeviceId, getSubscriberId, and /proc/net/if_inet6. Is there a way to get details about what exactly these mean? I.e. what would be returned if they were allowed, how easy it would be for the app's developers to tie that information to a real identity, how is the app likely to behave if the permission is denied etc.

I see some PRs for help strings, but no way to actually display the help in XPrivacy on my Android. Maybe an explanation of the most common but not self-evident permissions should be in an FAQ?

These are just examples I keep encountering. E.g. "Does GO SMS really need the device ID? (Is that the IMEI?) Would it function fine without it? Would it still received a unique ID if I tap "Deny?" At the moment I allow/deny for 15 seconds to see how the app behaves, but that leads to annoying pop-ups fast. It would be great to make it easier for the average user to make an intelligent decision about permissions.

[M66B]

There is in-app help available for each function.
Tap on the book icon before the function name to see it.
Often it links to the mostly excellent Google documentation about the function.
If you have questions about functions, I am happy to explain things in on the XDA forum, so others can read it too.

[dandv]

I'm talking about the pop-up - that's the area that first hits the new user:

Tried tapping the book+shield icon there to no avail. You must be talking about the list of permissions as displayed by XPrivacy. There, it's unclear exactly what the mapping is between, say, getSubscriberId, and the properties under Identification (device).

IMO the most useful help would be available right where the user encounters the permission request, in the popup.

[M66B]

There is a test version here:
https://github.com/M66B/XPrivacy/releases/tag/2.1.21

(you need to download 2.1.21-4 to have the committed change)

[dandv]

Thanks for the quick response and the enhancement. I've been programming since the 90's but I'm new to Android development and some of the permissions are rather cryptic. For instance, the link to /proc would be probably overkill for many users concerned with privacy, but who are not Linux devs.

Also, tapping the function help link opens the permission in the browser behind the on demand dialog, so the user cannot effectively make an informed decision by the time the 15-second timeout runs out.

Is there a mechanism to contribute more targeted explanations for permissions, and have them displayed right in the on demand dialog? Perhaps sourcing them from the XDA forum? (Example: /proc/meminfo - the link to it requires a bunch of scrolling, then comprehending the information. Now way that could be done in 15 seconds even if the browser window opened in front of the on demand dialog).