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Everyone
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Content rating
Everyone
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About this app

Permissions Explorer is a research application from Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center. The application allows the research team to partner with users to study the privacy implications of granting application access to different data permissions. In order to accomplish this core function, we ask users to grant the same permissions as social media apps, user generated content platforms, and image editing apps.

These permissions include:
Calendar and Reminders (view your calendar events and reminders)
Contacts (view your contacts)
Photos (view photos in your gallery)
Location (access your location)

The app performs a comprehensive analysis of this data. The app then shows a series of inferences about the participant using this information. Participants then fill out a survey.

Participants may choose to run the application multiple times to gain awareness of how granting different permissions affects their inferences.

The researchers will not see or store user data, and will not see or store these inferences without consent.

For more information about the study, our privacy policy, and how the research data is used: https://perms-explorer-study.berkmancenter.org/
A survey app by Harvard's Applied Social Media Lab at The Berkman Klein Center
Updated on
Jan 12, 2026

Data safety

Safety starts with understanding how developers collect and share your data. Data privacy and security practices may vary based on your use, region, and age. The developer provided this information and may update it over time.
  • No data shared with third parties
    Learn more about how developers declare sharing
  • No data collected
    Learn more about how developers declare collection
  • Data is encrypted in transit
  • Data can’t be deleted

What’s new

Permissions Explorer User Study App
For more information, please see https://perms-explorer-study.berkmancenter.org/