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Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

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Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#171

Post by jdofaz »

maxmunzel wrote: post #104
raxxorrax wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I always deactivate geolocation and I assume and hope it doesn't phone home to Google in that case. I still deactivate network if I don't need it. Android devices cannot really be trusted and it seems to be getting worse. Of course I am not using contact tracing either in this case, but I certainly won't allow Google to trace my location.

If I understand it correctly, contact tracing should rely on bluetooth only. Does it require location services and/or network on Android?

On a Pixel 4 with android 11 I was able to run the covid contact tracing app without location services. If I turn off bluetooth a notification appears that says exposure notifications is inactive until bluetooth is turned back on.

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#172

Post by jlkuester7 »

cassepipe wrote: post #69
Mediterraneo10 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, the LineageOS devs say that their project does not aim to completely de-Google the OS, only remove Google Play Services and some Google applications like Maps. Thus, geolocation, DNS and login portal detection in LineageOS still use Google's servers.

What about /e/ ? It's been a while I haven't heard about them.

I follow Gaël Duval (the founder of /e/OS on Mastodon. https://mastodon.social/@gael

He gives regular status updates and they seem to be making good progress. I played with /e/OS a long time ago when it first came out and found the microg integration to be excellent (have had trouble in the past getting LineageOS + microg to work...). I am planning to flash /e/OS onto a phone again soon to see the latest progress.

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#173

Post by andysch »

Mediterraneo10 wrote: post #18

One of the most disappointing changes in Android recently is that any network-assisted geolocation plugins must now be installed as a system app, not a user app. That means that even if you use LineageOS where most Google stuff has been stripped out, getting a GPS fix through network assistance still sends data to Google servers. Only a tiny minority of users are comfortable working with the command line and will ins…

I invite you to try iodéOS, where they stripped out Google's DNS & SUPL servers, and allow you to directly select the location module of your choice ..

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#174

Post by dkdk8283 »

octoberfranklin wrote: post #91
tedk-42 wrote: post #41

Your convenience at the expense of your privacy. I personally think it's great that I can lookup what I did two months ago thanks to Google services. I adblock and disable as much ad tracking as possible but I'm pretty happy with how useful google services are for my day to day errands. It reminds me of places I went two years ago that I couldn't remember without it. I find it strange people complain about it, yet st…

> Everyone is entitled to make their choice of what phone they buy. Technology is becoming more capital-intensive MUCH more rapidly than the total amount of capital in the economy is growing. As a result, the economy can support fewer and fewer choices as time goes on. We're already at the point where there are only one-and-a-half companies selling LTE modem chips. All the good phones use Qualcomm's chips. The only o…

I worked for a company building a phone. Baseband firmware is a blob and had DMA.

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#176

Post by andysch »

propogandist wrote: post #135
Kelamir wrote: post #122

Does removing Google-related apps(via ADB, for example) prevent one from being tracked by Google? For example, I've recently removed "Google Play Services" and much of Google stuff has disappeared. In settings of location, before I removed the app, it was mentioned that Google collects location data for something. Now it does not say so, with the app being gone. Does it mean Google no longer collects it, or is Google…

you have to get a custom ROM, like lineageOS. The OS itself (and most of the stock apps) are calling home to Google constantly, depending on the phone manufacturer, it's likely calling home to them all the time too. You can use something like Netguard to get some idea of what's going off your device (if you're rooted AFWall). It's not perfect, but it's essential software in my opinion. You can see somethings that of…

lineageOS is fine, though without play services | microG heaps of apps are broken.. I'd recommend switching to a non-AOSP based OS if you won't use those services, but if you stay on android you should definitely check iodéOS

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#177

Post by tinus_hn »

Mediterraneo10 wrote: post #18

One of the most disappointing changes in Android recently is that any network-assisted geolocation plugins must now be installed as a system app, not a user app. That means that even if you use LineageOS where most Google stuff has been stripped out, getting a GPS fix through network assistance still sends data to Google servers. Only a tiny minority of users are comfortable working with the command line and will ins…

Be aware that downloading the GPS almanak, which is how AGPS gets a quick GPS fix when the device has been offline, does not necessarily reveal your location to anyone.

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#178

Post by andysch »

andrepd wrote: post #99
izacus wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ugh, that's very disappointing then, I've always advised Lineage to people who wanted to deGoogle their phones :/

To be fair, lineage+microg is probably the best you can get while still keeping a reasonable level of convenience (that is, still running android and most popular apps).

agree. Even better with same reasonable level of convenience is iodé

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#179

Post by kordlessagain »

tinus_hn wrote: post #177
Mediterraneo10 wrote: post #18

One of the most disappointing changes in Android recently is that any network-assisted geolocation plugins must now be installed as a system app, not a user app. That means that even if you use LineageOS where most Google stuff has been stripped out, getting a GPS fix through network assistance still sends data to Google servers. Only a tiny minority of users are comfortable working with the command line and will ins…

Be aware that downloading the GPS almanak, which is how AGPS gets a quick GPS fix when the device has been offline, does not necessarily reveal your location to anyone.

Vice was started by a madman who supports a tyrant. Why are we still allowing articles posted there to appear here?

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#180

Post by jlkuester7 »

harry-wood wrote: post #121

I can recommend OpenStreetMap alternatives mentioned at the end of the article. I'm not sure why it says they "still collect data". Pretty sure OsmAnd and Maps.ME are not collecting data in any surprising/evil ways (particularly as they can work entirely offline!) The article says they "just aren’t as good" which obviously isn't very specific, but if you live in an area where the map detail doesn't seem so good, then…

I am a big fan of Magic Earth. They offer the best combo I have found of usability/privacy-policy for a navigation app.

https://www.magicearth.com/privacy/

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