I'm having a hard time locating a QR code app for my (non-rooted) Android 7.1 phone that is privacy friendly.
Here are the options I've come across, along with the permissions I don't feel comfortable with:
QR Droid Private: the combinations of permissions below could lead to privacy exploitation
- receive data from the internet (why???)
- full network access
- read and modify contents of USB storage
- Privacy Policy links to a dead page
Lightning QR Code Scanner: What business does a QR reader have asking for the last 2?
- view network connections
- full network access
- connect and disconnect from wifi
- modify system settings (c'mon)
- Privacy Policy links a pasted template that says nothing about the QR code
Private QR Reader Free: Has few reviews, so review score would be easy to inflate/manipulate. That aside, the most encouraging (though worst looking) app so far.
- view network connections
- full network access
QR Code Reader - No ads: this one claims "internet connection not required" so I got excited, until I looked at permissions
- view network connections
- allow Wi-Fi Multicast reception
- connect and disconnect from Wi-Fi
- full network access
- Privacy Policy links to a different product
All I need is a simple reader -- it doesn't need to be able to create QR codes.
Why do they all want access to the network? I'm aware that I could use a firewall app to deny the QR app network access, but if there is an option that was truly designed with privacy in mind to begin with, I'd like to try that first.
I don't mind paying for the app, so long as it is lightweight.