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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]

#301

Post by nazgulsenpai »

aqfamnzc wrote: post #173
padraic7a wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks, I'll check that out. I've been using Swiftkey since before Microsoft bought it, and really enjoying it. I know I shouldn't be surprised but I feel really betrayed that they use it to track app usage and link it to IMEI and the Google advertising id.

I was also a long-time fan of Swiftkey, and switched to OpenBoard a few months ago. The main differences are lack of swipe input which I miss dearly, and slightly less intuitive correction. I think since switching I've put a little more effort into being more accurate which has helped.

FlorisBoard is another open source keyboard project that has experimental support for gesture/swipe typing. It requires a bit more accuracy than spyware keyboards but might be worth a try.

https://f-droid.org/en/packages/dev.patrickgold.florisboard/

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

#302

Post by GoblinSlayer »

Daniel_sk wrote: post #132
dylan604 wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What kind of purchase/checkout system works like this? I have never seen one, but if I had, I would not complete the transaction.

Most in EU do this or will do - it’s part of EU bank regulation (PSD2). SMS isn’t considered safe anymore and debit/credit card payments are confirmed through banking apps (you get a push and confirm).

Wait, but smartphones are less safe than SMS. The attack surface of SMS is your surrounding, the attack surface of a smartphone is entire world, and virus infections happen much more regularly than sim copies.

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

#303

Post by dr_hooo »

tgsovlerkhgsel wrote: post #201
salusinarduis wrote: post #75

I use GraphineOS and LineageOS without Google Play Services. They are great and are suitable replacements for Apple and Google. - Osmand(FOSS) for maps (supports being fully offline!) - Signal and Discord for messaging (Discord is sandboxed) - Newpipe(FOSS) for Youtube - F-droid(FOSS) for my FOSS appstore - APKmirror for the few non-free apps I need - Libretorrent(FOSS) and VLC(FOSS) for watching movies - Firefox(FOS…

I've tried Osmand and found it way too slow/janky for everyday use (since it has to render the tiles locally and doesn't seem to pre-render for scrolling). Newpipe loads videos much slower than the official app and occasionally fails completely (likely because YouTube changed something). F-droid (regular, non-root install) shows me notifications to update apps, then when I tap them, I get a "there was a problem parsi…

As mentioned elsewhere, Organic Maps provides a much smoother OSM experience (fork of older maps.me version)

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

#304

Post by walteweiss »

salusinarduis wrote: post #134
daneel_w wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> ...and have a better experience in every category than iOS, hardware and software. Really? I tried GrapheneOS on a Pixel 4A, and without exaggerating or trying to come off sensationalist the experience was really tepid compared to iOS, and even "normal" Android. Stuttering and jerky UI (which often also wanted to take a brief nap), very poor GPU hardware acceleration support, notably worse battery life, loads of th…

I'm surprised to hear you say that. I've played the most demanding Android games on the Pixel 3a with no issues. I've never experienced anything but a butter smooth UI on Graphine or Lineage to be honest. The battery life has been all day for me even when using GBA emulators for multiple hours a day. I agree the default camera app of Graphine isn't great, but it's picture quality better than the iPhone I came from (i…

Can you install GCam as apk from somewhere? Will it work? I use GCam on the default Android (8) on my Nexus 6P and it works well. I am thinking of upgrading to Pixel 2XL or 3A and install Lineage OS with GCam, so I believe it would be a much better experience than the default ROM on a Pixel. But I have no idea whether GCam would work in LOS.

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

#305

Post by walteweiss »

daneel_w wrote: post #227
commoner wrote: post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The mid-level processor on the Pixel 4a may just not be performing to your expectations. A phone with a high-end processor would perform better. For GrapheneOS, the fastest compatible phone available (used/refurbished) right now is the Pixel 4 (or Pixel 4 XL). Also, if you are using a Pixel phone with a non-default flavor of Android, the Google Camera app still works if you download it manually. APKMirror is a trustw…

It performs worse than my 10 year old iPhone 4S. It really shouldn't have to.

On my Nexus 6P I use GCam v. 5.2.019.188906351 and it performs really great! It is quite slow with HDR+ (but usable), and almost on par with the default camera without HDR+ (still producing great camera quality). I am curious whether the experience is similar on a Pixel line, with Lineage OS (or any other custom ROM).

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

#306

Post by radlad »

amatecha wrote: post #235
1vuio0pswjnm7 wrote: post #215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Looking at the FAQ provides more details on various ways GrapheneOS phones home by default. Thankfully, some of these "services" can be disabled. The time service is enabled by default but can be disabled. "An HTTPS connection is made to https://time.grapheneos.org/ to update the time from the date header field." "Network time can be disabled with the toggle at Settings System Date & time Use network-provided time."…

Yeah I agree, these settings should be disabled by default and require explicit opt-in. That said, I am impressed by how privacy/security-conscious the OS seems to be otherwise!

Network time is pretty important for things like HMACs.

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

#307

Post by krageon »

jiggunjer wrote: post #282
krageon wrote: post #273

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't think banks can force you They can and do. There are a number of banks where you have absolutely no choice.

you have a choice to not be their customer.

unless of course they are all equally bad :)

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

#308

Post by ranger_danger »

Y_Y wrote: post #229
1vuio0pswjnm7 wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Looking through the GrapheneOS source, the servers may not be Google servers but the system is still designed to phone home. As such, have they solved the problem or is this just another case of "Dont' trust them, trust us instead." Has anyone succeeded in running multiboot on "smartphone" hardware, i.e., where the user can boot into a choice of kernel/userland. One choice might be Android, another might be GrapheneO…

My pinephone has multiboot to several different Linux and Android varieties.

And nowhere near the security of even stock Android, unfortunately. Every app is free to spy on everything else on the system, just like most desktops.

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

#309

Post by chasil »

muixoozie wrote: post #242
chasil wrote: post #238

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am using Lineage without Gapps, and every app on my phone came from F-Droid. I assume that my carrier sees location data on my device, but as I have learned to live within F-Droid on my daily driver, I assume that I am immune from this Google intrusion. I do have an older stock phone that keeps my Google login for when I need access to Google services. If it is powered down for a month, I am assuming that I am free…

> I am using Lineage without Gapps, and every app on my phone came from F-Droid. Did you transition or quit cold turkey? I switched to Lineage OS with micog. Actually, now that I look through what I installed via Aurora, I'm surprised how few apps there are. 3 required for work. I guess I could reduce that to one with some effort. A few financial / shopping apps that are nice to have vs using their website. Google ma…

I used the MicroG respin of Lineage for perhaps a year, then on my next hardware upgrade I switched to naked Lineage.

I keep an iPhone 7 for corporate apps, but I'm on a Pixel 3a XL that hasn't talked to Google since I bought it.

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

#310

Post by toastal »

slock83 wrote: post #206
dgan wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do banking applications work? I mean as in "I buy X online. It requires me to login to my bank application and press 'confirm'. I perform this sequence, and online purchase is completed. "?

I switched to /e/ rather recently, and it also just happen that I am in the process of switching banks, which means I currently have two banking apps on my phone. Both are rather strict on having a clean, non rooted, non modified phone. Currently, they both work without any caveats, but I had to install magisk, add them to magisk hide, and use the magisk renaming feature to have them work.

I recently had a bank detect Magisk Hide. Since on principle, I don't think it's their business what I do with my phone, especially once added Magisk Hide, I went into my branch, told them just that and asked for everything in cash to move to a different bank. These are the same banks that only have SMS for 2FA and it's required.
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