When apps need to play sounds, they must use the --socket=pulseaudio
option, or the PipeWire equivalent, both of which also allow the app to record sounds. Flatpak issue #6082 requests a finer-grained permission so this warning isn’t needed for apps that only play sounds. My request in the meantime is to adjust the warning message, to avoid confusion.
If a user sees “Probably safe - Microphone access”, they may be surprised that an app with no valid connection to audio recording is requesting that permission, as if it were explicitly requested.
Would it be possible to change the message to something like “Probably safe - Audio access: playback and microphone”? I’m not sure of the best way to phrase it, but a message like this does help communicate an connection between audio input and output, while still informing the user of the potential for apps with this permission to misuse the microphone.
I feel like adjusting the language there can provide a useful warning while still making more sense to end users.