7 simple things I always do on Android to protect my privacy [and reduce being monetized by Google et al.]

www.zdnet.com 7 simple things I always do on Android to protect my privacy - and why you should too

Your personal information is highly valuable to many threat actors. Here's how to keep it safe.

Until you get a chance to leave behind Google's Android operating system completely, here's an article I saw with a few fairly simple things you can do that will reduce (although not eliminate) the ability of Google and others to scrape your data and monetize you.

I already do step 1 (Firefox etc). But looking at step 5, for example, my phone had all those ad options set to "on".

Boycott US @lemmy.ca

and reduce being monetized by Google et al.

7 simple things I always do on Android to protect my privacy

www.zdnet.com /article/7-simple-things-i-always-do-on-android-to-protect-my-privacy-and-why-you-should-too/

6 2

22 comments

Can recommend GrapheneOS. Very nice experience. You would think it is more work, but I feel it was less due to not having Google suggest some nasty stuff constantly during install and ever after. Everything works for me. Check your own banking app works from the list they keep and if it does, go for it!
- But sadly it's not available for Fairphones which really frustrates me. And other OS variants just lack the main features which make Graphene so great.
  
  Yes. I got a spotless used pixel. But it is a huge paradox to have to get a Google phone.
  
  there's CalyxOS and /e/ available on Fairphones, so at least there's that

this was a surprisingly good article

The first thing(s) do:
Install adguard with system-wide ad & tracker filters enabled; change my DNS to a private service that also features DNS-based ad and tracker blocking.
Disable any google features: syncing, backup, uninstall/disable all google apps, etc.; replace with FOSS or privacy-friendly alternatives.
after that, it's the process of replacing the browser, keyboard, etc.
- I've done a lot of these steps, but when I tried FOSS keyboard app my bank's app refused to work because the keyboard was"insecure", accepted Google keyboard only 🤡
  
  That's crazy! I bet the same bank used a "secure" method for 2FA.... like SMS. LOL
  
  I've had that happen with Credit Agricole's app in the past. it would close immediately and load a website that suggested using Google's Gboard or Microsoft's Swiftkey :|
- Which adguard? Needs root?
  
  Adguard for android (paid). It runs as a local VPN and cleans up everything, including most ads in apps.
  You can find cheap lifetime licenses for sale. I've been using it for many, many years.

It seems a bit like a fool's errand to buy a phone running an advertiser’s OS and then try to stop it from tracking you.
- Fair point, but IMO it's more than just the technical act of blocking, it's highlighting to everyone that this is going on...
  Some are happy to be tracked, cool, but, I'm fairly confident that millions of people aren't even aware of it.
  These articles barely scratch the surface of what can be done - for example, I presume you're referring to loading a different OS, which would blow the minds of many users out there

A possible alternative to step 6:
https://gitlab.com/Nulide/findmydevice

But no mention of just disabling some of Google's services running on the phone?

22 comments