Hi. I just got a new phone (Motorola) and spent a bunch of time manually removing access to location etc. I hate Google so much, “don’t do evil” my ass. I’m just looking for my blindspots. Im not in tech so, what should be disabled to keep my phone private?
Also, consider a threat model to prevent “privacy fatigue”. Sometimes people implement countermeasures without realizing it doesn’t help them. At least define your privacy concerns and only implement what addresses those.
It sounds ridiculous, but I made this rookie mistake for a year and it was exhausting. Privacy is tough sometimes, but you don’t need everything. I just want to look at cat pictures without google selling my info and using profits to undermine government. Some folks will be executed if they are found dissenting against gov on the Internet. Those are vastly different issues with different countermeasures. Good luck!
The only way to remove Google tracking is to install a third party firmware like GrapheneOS.
Not on a Motorola though. LineageOS would be the alternative here
Shrekislove posted some good advice, so I’ll add something here for you to evaluate based on what you said above.
“I hate Google so much… I’m just looking for my blindspots… Im not in tech”
Years ago I went all in and too fast on privacy. I’d recommend some guard rails as getting privacy is a journey. First you need to define what “privacy” is for you. Privacy is a spectrum. Only you can determine it based on your needs and wants, and you can do that by figuring out your threat model.
That old expression of tightening your grip and more things fall out applies here.
Think about your security and privacy. Think about what you’re willing to give up, and think about your relationships with others that can be impacted.
You can get recommendations and learn more about privacy by checking out privacyguides.org.
As for me? I’m basically at the point where I’m fatigued with big tech - especially smartphones. I’m waiting to see when GrapheneOS will reveal what new OEM they are working with, to determine if I’ll get another smartphone when my current one is too old. Else, my plan is to upgrade to a truly dumb 5g phone with hotspot. Then I’ll carry my Linux laptop with me and use that when I need the internet.
Best of luck! Don’t go too fast and evaluate everyone’s suggestions carefully. I don’t recommend just dropping the phone you got and going all in on buying a Pixel and installing GrapheneOS. That’s a drastic action to take suddenly since you’re still getting your feet wet on all this privacy stuff. You can improve privacy on your current phone, and then when you’re comfortable and if you decide you need the benefits of GrapheneOS, then look into upgrading in the future.
Buy a Pixel, install GrapheneOS. Or look into Lineage OS supported hardware.
LineageOS is far behind GrapheneOS in terms of privacy and security.
Yes, but it supports a wide range of devices, has no telemetry and is available sans gapps so is a considerable improvement over stock.
Well, they still usually use test keys and don’t support AVB yellow (which doesn’t concern me because my phone is old enough it doesn’t support AVB anyway).
Yes, which is why I’ve moved on from LineageOS on Poco 4 to GrapheneOS on Pixel 7a and Pixel tablet. Should GOS become nonviable then we would have to regress to LineageOS or Linux.
Wow, some people can afford phones. I can’t just buy a phone for 400€. I have a 2017 Redmi 4x i got for free from my dad. Hopefully my next phone will be a device with GOS.
I paid 330 EUR new for the 7a, but refurbished would have been cheaper. My Lineage OS device was 200 EUR new. Pixel premium is freedom tax.
Can you provide a link that explains why LineageOS is behind Graphene?
And still worlds better than standard android.
Stop reinventing the wheel. Privacy is not single player. When you do everything manually, who’s going to copy you? GrapheneOS already solves half the problem, so start there.
GrapheneOS doesn’t support Motorola phones
Ironically, you’re supporting Google by buying their hardware just to remove their software…
I know, GOS is the standard, but Lineage isnt far behind. Removes Google, removes telemetry, doesn’t sell your data (though ToS does say if you make an online account they warn you it’s public and can be shared, etc)
Google don’t give a shit about your lost sale out of the other trillion phones they sell. You’re just fucking yourself over.
When GrapheneOS gets big, they can start making phones, or get a GNU phone.
Childish attitude. It definitely makes a difference walking arround with a Google logo. If it’s okay for you: fine, says alot.
One should avoid giving money and presenting Google (and others) wherever and whenever possible.
No one’s looking at your logo. The case covers it.
Samsung, Apple and Xiaomi ain’t making phones any more libre.
Depending on the model you could try flashing a different flavor of android like LineageOS, it’s easy it just looks hard for the amount of steps tho
If you do i recommend downloading f-droid, inside the app you could download Aurora Store that let you access play store without account :)
Here’s what I’ve done:
- Delete your advertising ID in the system settings
- Disable the other ad-related settings
- Disable tracking in the keyboard app (long-press
,to get to settings, then click “Privacy”) or switch to HeliBoard - Avoid the Google Play store when possible
- Use F-Droid and Obtainium instead
- Install the DuckDuckGo browser and enable DuckDuckGo App Tracking Protection (I only use the DDG app for app tracking protection and email protection; I don’t browse the web with it)
- Install Firefox with uBlock Origin
- Set DuckDuckGo as your search engine in Firefox
- Make sure your next phone supports GrapheneOS and install that instead of normal Android
- Wait for real Linux phones to become viable and use that in a couple years
Stuff I haven’t done yet but probably will eventually:
- Replace the default home screen app (your home screen is an app, btw)
- Replace the Google keyboard app
I haven’t looked for good alternatives for these yet so if anyone has suggestions, I’m listening!
The launcher is just an app, but the way it’s set up ensures that different launcher apps cannot offer the same experience as the stock one.
Rabbit hole I dove into trying to figure out why my back to homepage didn’t feel snappy (like the swipe up animation goes and only after it’s done the icons load). Turns out that’s pretty much intentional and the solution is rooting your phone.
- Wait for real Linux phones to become viable and use that in a couple years
God, as a GOS user I want this so bad. I know I can buy used, but having that G on the back of my phone feels dirty. I refuse to go back to Apple, Samsung sucks ass, and I don’t want Chinese phones, so I’m stuck here. But I want to be free.
if you dont want to fuck around with custom roms, but you want to get rid of the bloat. look around closely in each apps description, cause deleting everyting can easily break moto gestures https://github.com/Universal-Debloater-Alliance/universal-android-debloater-next-generation
Alternatively, if you want to do the same thing without a USB, try Shizuku and Canta from Fdroid. Shizuku allows mods over WiFi and Canta does almost the same thing as the tool linked above, but it doesn’t seem to have apk descriptions like the desktop debloater tool. It’s just a way to do something similar on your phone. However, iirc the debloater allows more options like saving which apks you deleted or disabled or some such.
not a fan of shizuku, cause everything after a restart just loses permission
If you’re just getting started, e/OS is a great option for privacy for non-Pixel phones.
You can check compatibility here: https://doc.e.foundation/devices
It is not. It is better than bloated Google Android but not “great”.
- They use tracking ids for updates
- They are far behind with updates lowering security and thus risking privacy
- They use testing keys which is ridicolous
- They added OpenAI integration and called it “Murena Voice to Text” so that unfiliar users could unintentially leak sensitive data
- They ignore valid critique and call it ‘personal harassment’ although nothing personal nor something like harassment happen there (for example in related /e/OS threads)
