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Android phones are sending significant amount of user data with no opt-out [pdf]

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Re: Android phones are sending significant amount of user data with no opt-out [pdf]

#31

Post by jand »

aero-glide2 wrote: post #29
aritmo wrote: post #26

Android takes snapshots (screenshots) of apps as soon as you switch to another app. When you view the app list, it already has the last view of each app. But the Xiaomi/MIUI Android sends over those screenshots back to the company is new information.

The article doesn't mention screenshots at all.

> System apps on several handsets upload details of user interactions with the apps on the handset (what apps are used and when, what app screens are viewed, when and for how long).

I am too far away from Android development to make any claim about what "app screens" are. Is that android-lingo? Could someone please clarify?

Re: Android phones are sending significant amount of user data with no opt-out [pdf]

#32

Post by AuthorizedCust »

aritmo wrote: post #26

Android takes snapshots (screenshots) of apps as soon as you switch to another app. When you view the app list, it already has the last view of each app. But the Xiaomi/MIUI Android sends over those screenshots back to the company is new information.

I had a Pixel. That it took a screenshot when I switched apps makes sense. It allows the task switcher to open immediately and show the most recent state of all my apps. A screenshot of some sort is mandatory for the OCR functionality that allowed me to select text from these tiles in the task switcher (super handy!).

I’m now on iOS 15 on an iPhone 12 Pro Max. I think I’ve seen movement on the tiles in its task switcher, so I’m not clear if it takes screenshots. But the fact that the task switcher opens with no delay suggests that screenshots might be used?

I’m only defending taking screenshots. Transmitting them to other parties is problematic.

Re: Android phones are sending significant amount of user data with no opt-out [pdf]

#33

Post by Arnt »

jand wrote: post #31
aero-glide2 wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article doesn't mention screenshots at all.

> System apps on several handsets upload details of user interactions with the apps on the handset (what apps are used and when, what app screens are viewed, when and for how long). I am too far away from Android development to make any claim about what "app screens" are. Is that android-lingo? Could someone please clarify?

Sounds like an attempt at phrasing for the general public.

Android apps have zero or more activities, each of which may be thought of as a single screen and a single Intent, which is a bit like a URL (and sometimes very much like a URL). A messenger or email app will typically have a main activity, an activity to view a single message, an activity to view a conversation with someone, perhaps an activity to view a single attached image, probably an activity to view and edit the application's settings, and so on.

What is sent is perhaps the app's name and a class name within the app for each activity that's started.

Re: Android phones are sending significant amount of user data with no opt-out [pdf]

#34

Post by deathjester »

I think it's a bit misleading to say Lineage OS sends data, because it doesn't. It's just the GApps installed with Lineage OS that sends data to Google. But you don't need to install GApps, then it doesn't send anything just like /e/OS does...

Re: Android phones are sending significant amount of user data with no opt-out [pdf]

#36

Post by johnthuss »

I don't think this is news to anyone (in general), but it is increasingly becoming the differentiating factor between Android and iOS.

Apple is all-in on customer privacy and Google hasn't really been able to respond on that front since their business model depends on targeted advertising based on data collected about their users.

The question is whether regular people really care about privacy more than they do about the price of a phone. And so far it seems that the lower priced phones are winning.

Re: Android phones are sending significant amount of user data with no opt-out [pdf]

#37

Post by eldaisfish »

2Gkashmiri wrote: post #35

can i see this "exfiltration" out of an android using a pi-hole? i have multiple androids at home and a etwork wide pi-hole so i would love to see if there is something i can see and maybe block

any DNS-based tool is going to tell you which IP address is being contacted, not what is sent or how much.

You can certainly block domains and that will prevent some google telemetry but a DNS-based tool is not what you're looking for.

Re: Android phones are sending significant amount of user data with no opt-out [pdf]

#39

Post by Graffur »

noja wrote: post #38

Please, technical people of HN, install NetGuard on your Android phone. You will be shocked where your data goes. GDPR? Ha!

Based on your comment I have installed it and enabled notifications.. immediately it told me that Facebook attempted internet access. I have 432 other apps so it will be interesting to see what else is phoning home.
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