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Hey,
can we really trust google? because it is a global company like any other, but with the nice image of being open source. Is android really open source, can we see the whole code, or there are maybe some parts we can't see which may send stuff from our phones to google we don't want to?
This company give us everything, from mail, over chat to platforms to develope but isn't that only the surface to collect data?
Just thought loud ^^
Is Google trusty?
Who knows? Is your government trusty? Are your neighbors or friends trusty? In Japan Tepco was not. In DDR even some parents were not.
All in all it's a question of faith. I trust in Google and many others do. Let's hope that we won't get disappointed in the future.
it's true that, for example, google voice gives you a unique voice id that's tied to your phone and means that have a bio fingerprint of your voice. it's true they collect a lot of information - they collect everything you could think of - ie. the google map cars were listening for wifi id's too - and then some.
the source for android is available, but that's rather immaterial. google does call home for a lot of its services. simply if you don't like that, don't use android.
and yes, there are private branches of android that are not visible - google explain this is to protect patents and upcoming phone releases which is about right.
but isn't that only the surface to collect data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it is. From your point of view, how does Google know what specific ads to show you that are based on your interests ? Yes, they DO collect data. So does Facebook (and more than 500 mil idiots are using it), Microsoft, etc. So ? Does that prove a point ? No. It doesn't. Just be happy that, from collecting data, Google can use that data to provide ads, from which money come, which translates in the fact that Google doesn't need to put any of it's free services UNDER COST. Think of how many Google services are free, next time privacy issues pop up in your head. And be glad they ARE FREE. If you still have doubts, etc., then just don't use Google. It's THAT simple. End of story.
lambda30 said:
Yes it is. From your point of view, how does Google know what specific ads to show you that are based on your interests ? Yes, they DO collect data. So does Facebook (and more than 500 mil idiots are using it), Microsoft, etc. So ? Does that prove a point ? No. It doesn't. Just be happy that, from collecting data, Google can use that data to provide ads, from which money come, which translates in the fact that Google doesn't need to put any of it's free services UNDER COST. Think of how many Google services are free, next time privacy issues pop up in your head. And be glad they ARE FREE. If you still have doubts, etc., then just don't use Google. It's THAT simple. End of story.
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Click to collapse
That was definitely well said.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
just think of this way. if they did something bad with your information then everybody would panic and not use their services
they wouldn't risk it
zephiK said:
just think of this way. if they did something bad with your information then everybody would panic and not use their services
they wouldn't risk it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed also on this matter.
Hello guys, this is a small article cum question thread. After reading please give me your views.
When we buy a phone and we start with our gmail id.
They forcefully sync all data, even the gallery (picasa).
I mean why is Google entering in our life so much..
They have every single detail. Contact , location, whereabouts, preferences, taste, when we get up/ sleep...
Every single data is with Google.
Now Google glass... Its too much interference...
I feel like being spy by a person name Google. Prove me wrong, I will be glad.
Before Android, I had Nokia phone. I never felt being spy every time.
I have spend lots of money on my Android phone but im feeling insecured every moment.
Why Google force all to sync the data/ why Google wants to enter in everyon's life?
Are we purchasing Android phones for being monitored 24x7?
Let me know your views too..
Thank you.
Disclaimer:
I am not an apple fan. I have shared experience and beyond this I don't have intension to degrade the goodwill of gaint Google.
Supporting links for this thread
http://m.firstpost.com/tech/how-to-stop-googlefbspyingyou-220138.html?page=1
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=imbkac40t38&desktop_uri=/watch?v=imbkac40t38
Endless....
We've all heard about the "big brother". Before the TV reality shows there was only books and stories about it, there were wars for power and world dominance. May be my words are too strong, but think about it - there are strong arguments in DBZo07's post, don't you think?
Google may be one of the reasons for the next World War. I am sure that there will be one - all of the major civilizations before us have disappeared for various reasons, most of them connected with war and the will of dominance. We will wipe ourselfs too or will become "human androids".
I think that we should think about what will be the next kind of terrorism? I doubt it will be for petrol, gold, money... it will be about information, communication, privacy - and Google are getting even more and more into our life, as DBZo07 have observed. It was only 8 years ago when for most of us smartphones were a joke and look now - hybrids, phonepads, padphones, tablets, docking stations, virtual HDD's (cloud storage)... Now can you leave without Viber, skype, facebook, gmail? No, you can't and if you could you will be searching for better replacements.
When you put all of the things it really seems too much. What if someone uses the information we share virtually each day? What if someone wants more than just money to share or store our information or to communicate with each other? Now they want our money, but tomorrow?
May be someone will want more from us tomorrow... may be we will start to sync our dreams for more efficient sleep time.
Or probably my arguments are nonsense and no one will let these thing happen. I hope so and I believe so - you should believe too
Yes it is bad, but just do like everybody disliking this state, deactivate all you can that allow google to "follow" you.
At the end, androïd is not linux, androïd is "google is watching you OS", so make all you can to hide yourself.
Maybe one day, we'll have a "pure" linux system for smartphones.
@mutha88 : that's what , we are forced to believe Google like God. Turning off auto sync may ease our mind. But still who knows about which data is being snatched with our data plan on all times in the very owned OS of Google. I still can appreciate Microsoft Windows, which is carring on from years after years still there is sense of personal private life being secured.
No doubt Google is an award winning innovative company but why getting personal to the extent of choking privacy.
On other hand, consumers are least concern about privacy now a days. Very trusted Microsoft is trying hard to penetrate phones and data stealer Google is having large pie of market share. It is we who made Google survive and in return we have loss of privacy.
@BombinBasta : yeah, but for development of any OS needs finance. Linux is free open source, hardly people donate. And Microsoft has enough money to carry on their development. Apple already charges too high for thier devices. Whereas Google... makes money from phones, market, various products and who knows what they make from every details of their users.
Seriously, as i heard from childgood that evil ends when they cross thier limits... will there be end of Google anyways!!! I wonder.
May be I'm wrong but their are no proper justifications from Google for interference.
Sent from my GT-I9082 using Tapatalk HD
u cant be free of data collection by google...
even if u never sync ur data and use internet on ur android(even if it a vanila AOSP android ) there is code in that to give the data to google.
in todays age of information technology....information/data is everything...WHO HOLDS THE DATA...HOLDS THE POWER TO RULE THE WORLD...
DBZo07 said:
@mutha88 : that's what , we are forced to believe Google like God. Turning off auto sync may ease our mind. But still who knows about which data is being snatched with our data plan on all times in the very owned OS of Google. I still can appreciate Microsoft Windows, which is carring on from years after years still there is sense of personal private life being secured.
No doubt Google is an award winning innovative company but why getting personal to the extent of choking privacy.
On other hand, consumers are least concern about privacy now a days. Very trusted Microsoft is trying hard to penetrate phones and data stealer Google is having large pie of market share. It is we who made Google survive and in return we have loss of privacy.
@BombinBasta : yeah, but for development of any OS needs finance. Linux is free open source, hardly people donate. And Microsoft has enough money to carry on their development. Apple already charges too high for thier devices. Whereas Google... makes money from phones, market, various products and who knows what they make from every details of their users.
Seriously, as i heard from childgood that evil ends when they cross thier limits... will there be end of Google anyways!!! I wonder.
May be I'm wrong but their are no proper justifications from Google for interference.
Sent from my GT-I9082 using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You act like Microsoft doesnt do the same thing. When ever you use any of their programs it is the same. Privacy is a moot point if you use the internet for anything. You would be amazed how many times your personal info is used. Use a Shopping card to get discounts? Tracked. Use a CC for anything? Tracked. Buy anything on line? Tracked. Use any social networks? Yup tracked again.
It is not just Google. If you trust MS so much then why not get a WP?
k2wl said:
u cant be free of data collection by google...
even if u never sync ur data and use internet on ur android(even if it a vanila AOSP android ) there is code in that to give the data to google.
in todays age of information technology....information/data is everything...WHO HOLDS THE DATA...HOLDS THE POWER TO RULE THE WORLD...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This information again shocking.. will there be a respect for privacy is a big question..
Is there any way that code being blocked ...
zelendel said:
You act like Microsoft doesnt do the same thing. When ever you use any of their programs it is the same. Privacy is a moot point if you use the internet for anything. You would be amazed how many times your personal info is used. Use a Shopping card to get discounts? Tracked. Use a CC for anything? Tracked. Buy anything on line? Tracked. Use any social networks? Yup tracked again.
It is not just Google. If you trust MS so much then why not get a WP?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My bad.. Microsoft still a good sided. I'm not promoting Microsoft but everybody have used Windows and this hunger for data wasn't found, maybe Microsoft is too smart to do silently but there is a chance that it may or may not be true. Google openly does all stealing I mean who is going to held them!! We the users are just watching being used all time.
When I took Android , i wasn't aware of Google's hunger for information..
In the end, everyone is happy without Google's justifications...
Sent from my GT-I9082 using Tapatalk HD
I would like to point out that you are under no compulsion to connect an android phone to a Google account. You only need to connect your account if you want to avail of their services such as Play Store, syncing contacts, etc. If you can do without them, then by all means you can disconnect your Google account.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD
sidthegreatest said:
I would like to point out that you are under no compulsion to connect an android phone to a Google account. You only need to connect your account if you want to avail of their services such as Play Store, syncing contacts, etc. If you can do without them, then by all means you can disconnect your Google account.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD
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Click to collapse
I completely agree...
As for me I don't like Google's spying so I uninstalled all their apps, including network location and Google framework service, and I use alternative apps for gtalk or Google play. And recently I even made a new email at Yahoo's. I know Yahoo spies as well, but since android is Google at least I don't put all my eggs in the same basket.
If like me you are very privacy concerned there are ways to cut the abusive permissions most apps use.
You need to be rooted, and then use apps like appsettings (in conjunction with xposer app), permissions denied, rom toolbox, greenify, privacy blocker, and the best (but unfortunately not available for all roms) : pdroid and its variants like open pdroid and the like.
For example, recently I downloaded the Yahoo app. Before to start using it I put it through privacy blocker and then changed the imei value and other nosy informations with fake values (thank you privacy blocker and respect to xeudoxus its developer). Then I opened appsettings and blocked other unwanted permissions (thank you rovo and tungstwenty, respect). Finally I started to use it, and when I'm done checking my mails I greenify (thank you oasisfeng and respect) the app to avoid background usage.
Of course when one does such things one doesn't get notifications as soon as a new message arrives, but as for me I don't care since I don't need, and don't want, to be connected and hence spied, 24 hours a day.
It's relatively easy to get rid of the spying, but of course you will loose 2-3 features.
It's up to you...
I did the same with my browsers (opera mini and dolphin), privacy blocker+ appsettings+greenify, and with Mozilla I use an add-on called self destructing cookies.
Another thing is that not only Google spies on us, actually everyone does.
Just have a look at the permissions used by your system (default) applications, it's insane moreover that when one blocks those abusive permissions the apps still work. Don't think that it would be any better with a custom room, it's exactly the same story with cyanogen mode or aosp or pa etc.
What I do is that I remove most system apps (keeping like 10 for my tab, and 20 something on my phone, which means that I uninstall over 100 system apps, exactly 160 on my tab's recent jb upgrade) and replace them with third party apps that are easier to control and whose permissions are easier to block. And of course I block everything I can, system and user apps alike.
One of these days when I have time I'll write a more precise guide on these matters...
unclefab said:
I completely agree...
As for me I don't like Google's spying so I uninstalled all their apps, including network location and Google framework service, and I use alternative apps for gtalk or Google play. And recently I even made a new email at Yahoo's. I know Yahoo spies as well, but since android is Google at least I don't put all my eggs in the same basket.
If like me you are very privacy concerned there are ways to cut the abusive permissions most apps use.
...........
One of these days when I have time I'll write a more precise guide on these matters...
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Click to collapse
Sir, this is what I wanted to know. Thank you very much for your valuable time and experience shared here. I know this is serious concern and people like us need a way to be have a sound sleep without virtual spies.
About permissions, Google chrome takes permission to use camera and mic without and command by user.. I mean why Google needs it...again another why...
Your reply was very helpful, thank you...
keep updated me here when you can...
Stay blessed..
DBZo07 said:
Sir, this is what I wanted to know. Thank you very much for your valuable time and experience shared here. I know this is serious concern and people like us need a way to be have a sound sleep without virtual spies.
About permissions, Google chrome takes permission to use camera and mic without and command by user.. I mean why Google needs it...again another why...
Your reply was very helpful, thank you...
keep updated me here when you can...
Stay blessed..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My pleasure, I'm happy if I could help you...
Google chrome is one of the worst browser when it comes to privacy. If you want to keep on using it try to block the unwanted permissions like camera and mike with appsettings. The problem is that sometimes apps crash after having their perms blocked, and in this case what I do is just uninstalling and looking for another one that does the same job, fortunately there is no shortage of apps on the web
If you can't manage to tame Google chrome just use Mozilla. It has some abusive perms as well but they can be disabled for sure (I use it). Not with appsettings though but with permissions denied (another privacy app, quite powerful but one has to use it with care).
Just get the apps I recommended in my first post (some are paid but they are well worth the money) and start playing with them, in no time you will regain your privacy.
And uninstall as many system apps as you can...
Good luck!
Oh, I nearly forgot! Read my post in the following link, it tells which apps are safe to remove for the galaxy grand:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=39395506
They anonymize all of the usage data as much as possible. If you don't like using Google services but still want to be able to download apps from the Play Store, go into Settings -> Accounts -> your Google account(s) -> uncheck all of the boxes for syncing various services.
Every company collects information on usage in order to better their products and find out how people are using them. They're not reading all of your emails (yes, their computers scan them to show you relevant text ads, but that's all) or coming to your house to film you while you're in the shower. You guys are overreacting. There is not one company who doesn't collect usage data. And if they don't, then they're doing it wrong, because they're developing their products and services blindly. Google is pretty clear about their data collection policies.
unclefab said:
My pleasure, I'm happy if I could help you...
Google chrome is one of the worst browser when it comes to privacy. If you want to keep on using it try to block the unwanted permissions like camera and mike with appsettings. The problem is that sometimes apps crash after having their perms blocked, and in this case what I do is just uninstalling and looking for another one that does the same job, fortunately there is no shortage of apps on the web
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You do realize that Chrome has the Microphone permission so that it can hear you when you use voice search, among other things, right? Your computer browser can also access your webcam and microphone...
I care about privacy as well, but you guys are wearing tinfoil hats. Google does not care about you. They just want to know how to further develop their products.
Product F(RED) said:
You do realize that Chrome has the Microphone permission so that it can hear you when you use voice search, among other things, right? Your computer browser can also access your webcam and microphone...
I care about privacy as well, but you guys are wearing tinfoil hats. Google does not care about you. They just want to know how to further develop their products.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course I know that this perm is for the voice search, an app that I don't use either.
And I know that in 2013 it's not such a big deal if those big companies collect data about us, apart from spamming us with advs.
But I don't know how it will be in 10 our 20 years, and when I see the way our "democracies" go I rather understand now how to make myself invisible, better to prevent than to cure.
Imagine if Hitler had had this technology...
Those days are gone? I don't think so, the Yankees had Bush for eight years, the French had Sarkozy for five years, they were not modern Hitler but they were going in the same direction, cutting rough in the people's freedom.
They didn't go as far as Hitler but who knows what will happen in the next decades. I'm 44 and since the 90 ies I've seen a worrying drift towards less and less freedom, and it won't get any better for sure, it will only get worse.
Anyway, it's not only about this, it's about those apps using my data plan without asking, depleting my phone's battery and slowing my ram. If Google wants infos he has to pay for it, and I have to agree to sell him those infos.
Cuz my phone didn't come for free, I had to pay for it and I don't see why I should use my data plan to help big Google and co...
unclefab said:
Of course I know that this perm is for the voice search, an app that I don't use either.
And I know that in 2013 it's not such a big deal if those big companies collect data about us, apart from spamming us with advs.
But I don't know how it will be in 10 our 20 years, and when I see the way our "democracies" go I rather understand now how to make myself invisible, better to prevent than to cure.
Imagine if Hitler had had this technology...
Those days are gone? I don't think so, the Yankees had Bush for eight years, the French had Sarkozy for five years, they were not modern Hitler but they were going in the same direction, cutting rough in the people's freedom.
They didn't go as far as Hitler but who knows what will happen in the next decades. I'm 44 and since the 90 ies I've seen a worrying drift towards less and less freedom, and it won't get any better for sure, it will only get worse.
Anyway, it's not only about this, it's about those apps using my data plan without asking, depleting my phone's battery and slowing my ram. If Google wants infos he has to pay for it, and I have to agree to sell him those infos.
Cuz my phone didn't come for free, I had to pay for it and I don't see why I should use my data plan to help big Google and co...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's more like, "by using the software on this phone, you agree to Google's data collection policies." Either create your own ROM that doesn't include the code, or don't use the phone. You could go to Apple and use an iPhone, but they do the same thing. Microsoft does the same thing with Windows Phone. Palm did the same with WebOS. Seriously, there's nowhere you can go where anonymous data isn't collected to develop products.
I am glad that there are few more people who take their privacy seriously and knowledgeable enough to know what happening inside phones.
I strongly believe that this topic needs mass exposure. Millions of innocent people don't know what's happening and the risks. Take this topic to social networks and spread. For my part I will post this thread link on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp.
I would also wish that some of our great developers would come forward and help in this matter.
Thanks for starting this thread.
I knew people will feel thus topic as paranoid. But that's preference.
No problem, speak against topic or support this topic, you will help other members have clear picture of what I want to say. After all critics have role to play too. So thanks to all.
@unclefab thank you for your comment which helped me get my words meaningful.
@silentvisitor that's what I had planned to get the topic wide exposure. Hope, there will be respect for privacy oneday.
Revolutionary changes are required and that can be just hoped.
The only hope I can see is that when the country itself recognises this as an issue than it can impact on world... more and more country joins the cause the stronger will be the impact.
These are just hopes and how future will play that God knows.
Sent from my GT-I9082 using Tapatalk HD
Product F(RED) said:
It's more like, "by using the software on this phone, you agree to Google's data collection policies." Either create your own ROM that doesn't include the code, or don't use the phone. You could go to Apple and use an iPhone, but they do the same thing. Microsoft does the same thing with Windows Phone. Palm did the same with WebOS. Seriously, there's nowhere you can go where anonymous data isn't collected to develop products.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, true, and actually Apple is worse.
What I don't like, beside the fact that they hijack my connection, my battery and my ram (and I mean, not only Google but most apps), is that they create files about us. It's ok as long as we have a democracy but as I previously said I'm not very optimistic about democracy in the future, remember the infamous patriot act in the States...
For example, Google knows that mister uncle fab has a gmail account. It knows as well that uncle fab goes on this and that website and reads this or that page, buys this and that online, has this and that app on his phone, goes here or there (thank you GPS and Google now) and stops here or there, listens to this or that kind of music, watches this or that movie, takes this and that picture and so on.
Eventually they have a file about uncle fab, and know a lot about his life and his taste.
Suppose now that uncle fab is a commie and someone who disagrees with the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, and that he's a muslim who has traveled to some of the so called axe of evil countries (which I did by the way, that's why I take this example, but fear not for I'm no terrorist )
What would happen? If uncle fab lives in the States he may be in serious trouble and get invited to a nice all included stay in Guantanamo, eventhough he's not a terrorist.
Well that's just an example but seriously, what happens with all those files they gather about people? Not to mention facebook, you know what I mean, their data base is huge and includes pictures.
What will they do with those files in the event of the government turning fascist or half fascist?
I'm not a terrorist but I have some convictions and some ideas that would make me a bad guy for a fascist regime and that would bring me to jail.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a bad guy
But, amongst others, I seriously dislike the State's foreign policy and sincerely think that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are crimes against mankind that should bring their authors (Bush and his friends) in front of the international court. I do think as well that endeavors like wikileaks are very good ones and that their informants shouldn't be trialled.
I do think other things as well, it's my right, but under the Bush administration I would have been called a bad American and if they had caught me I would have won a free stay in Guantanamo.
During the Mac Carthy area I would have been called a commie because of my anti capitalistic ideas and would have been sent to jail.
Etc, etc...
So eventhough I'm not a bad guy I rather stay as invisible as I can, no-one knows what will happen in the future but from my point of view it looks pretty grim to say the last.
Regarding your remark about building my own Rom I agree, it's on my list of to do things.
But let's see first how the Mozilla os goes, and if the devs behind the Linux on android project manage to make it work properly for a daily use.
At the end of the day it's a matter of choice as you said, if someone doesn't like Google one can uninstall its apps.
You know, I spent hours playing with the apps I mentioned in my previous posts and I can say that no app knows my imei or my location, and that the only apps I allowed to connect with the internet are my browsers and the Yahoo app whose abusive perms I blocked.
Of course the browsers know my ip but that's all they know and I don't care about it, and if one day I did then I would use a vpn app or tor/orbot.
So I don't see how anyone could squeeze any data from me...
Oh, I just found this on the forum, give it a read:
http://www.xda-developers.com/android/say-sayonara-to-the-play-store-part-1/
If you want privacy, go move to a rainforest in South America or something. Get rid of your phone, computer, internet connection, etc. What you guys are asking for is ridiculous. You want free products handed to you on a silver platter. These companies need something in return. At the very least, they need the information they collect to understand their userbase. I'm a marketing major and computer science minor. Really, I understand that privacy is pivotal to you guys, but you're demanding something pretty ridiculous. This is ANONYMOUS usage data.
Sent from my Galaxy Note 2
Product F(RED) said:
If you want privacy, go move to a rainforest in South America or something. Get rid of your phone, computer, internet connection, etc. What you guys are asking for is ridiculous. You want free products handed to you on a silver platter. These companies need something in return. At the very least, they need the information they collect to understand their userbase. I'm a marketing major and computer science minor. Really, I understand that privacy is pivotal to you guys, but you're demanding something pretty ridiculous. This is ANONYMOUS usage data.
Sent from my Galaxy Note 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You sound very straight forward. Your comments are brainwashing. You have better way of critical thinking, its appreciable. As a marketing guy you know user have different preferences and taste.
Rarely people are concern about privacy which is not letting this being called as an issue.
Data is used anonymously, is this justified?
Even Facebook says this, than why it has photos and name in their database?
How come Facebook/Google recognize face with exact name if data is anonymous..
Can any of data stealers come forward and give just a short justification and proof about how data is being used?
Sent from my GT-I9082 using Tapatalk HD
As Fred as stated, everything you do is tracked and monitored. This is nothing new really, been going on for years. There is only one way around it. That is to remove yourself from all things as stated above. You would be amazed how many times your personal info changes hands on a daily basis. Even utility companies track your usage. Your cell carrier does the same thing. Now I understand wanting privacy but total privacy is a myth that in this day and age is not an option. Now I dont trust the Gov in any way shape or form, to the point of not buying any device that has the fema chip installed. Which is 99% of the devices in the US.
Dear fellow developers,
I wonder how log will it take before we will unite and take some serious action against Google Play practices. Maybe you heard about banned apps and blocked accounts. I got my app blocked today and believe me that it is VERY frustrating experience.
I can write what is wrong with Google Play developer support, but others already done that better: androidofvirtue. com/dear-google-play-we-need-to-talk-about-a-few-things/
Long story short, I feel that Google is abusing its dominant position on the market by providing little to no service to developers. Developers has no other option for app publishing as manufacturers are pre-installing its market to almost every device. Users have no option as they do not have any good alternative available.
Google must listen to us, we are helping them to get money and they are treating us like criminals without any explanations, without possibility to defend ourselves and without possibility to use other and maybe more reasonable app market.
As I am from the EU I wrote an appeal to European Commission to investigate the Google market position regarding the competition advantage abuse. I really hate do do it but currently I feel that I ran out of options and I hate more to feel so powerless against Google ignorance and stupidity of its app removal policies.
If you would like to help then write an appeal too. Contact is [email protected]
They must hear us!
what app did you make and whats the reason they removed it
The app was intended for automatic connection to open hotspots and wifi password sharing. It was possible to enter password for some wifi when you connected to it and it was then shared with other users. This function was explicitly named in the name of the app, description and under the password box directly in application, therefore every user was sharing the password by his will and he was well informed what he's doing. It was intended for sharing of passwords for various public places, cafés etc.
The funny thing is, that the app got approved on Amazon which is also very strict, but obviously employs sane people.
The reason for banning is here:
REASON FOR REMOVAL: Violation of section 4.4 of the Developer Distribution Agreement.
After a regular review we have determined that your app interferes with or accesses another service or product in an unauthorized manner. This violates the provision of your agreement with Google referred to above.
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Click to collapse
I think that they think that I was phishing the passwords or something like that. Or maybe it is not ok to connect to open wifi automatically. Or maybe they think that if somebody share password for some hotspot then other people are not authorized to use it, however I feel that if I share password then I am giving implicit authorization to other users.
Thats the worst part -I simply don't know what is wrong. Can I fix it by adding some policy agreement? Should I ask user for some explicit permission to share the password and authorization for other users to use it? Isn't it a bit crazy?
The whole thing is not about me or my app. I just spend like month of evenings to build it and catch all the bugs, I made worse investments. What I really don't like is the Google attitude. They are keeping their developers in uncertainty, they are threatening them and they are behaving like the worst essence of corporations. We just need alternative store to become strong enough otherwise Google will not listen to us.
Hi,
The vast majority of my apps come from F-droid and Github but a few ones can only be downloaded on the Google Play Store.
I don't have Google services on my device so I'm looking for a reliable tool/website to update those apps. I know Raccoon but a PC is required and I don't have one during the week.
I found APKpure a few weeks ago. Apparently all apps have to pass a signature verification so they guarantee safe downloads. It seems legit and I did compare the SHA1 of their apk and the one downloaded from Google Play. The apk hasn't been altered. One positive result doesn't mean that we can't have negative ones though
I don't like "mirror websites". The owner of apkpure, apkupdate and apkplz seems to be the same so it's more complicated for me to trust those sources. Why do they need all these websites? I didn't find any legal information BTW...
No paid apps can be downloaded on these websites so my only suspicion is that they could add malwares into some (famous) apps. Of course, original apps can also have malwares on Google Play.
For the record, I uploaded the few apks I downloaded to VirusToral and nothing has been detected.
Last but not least, Apkpure provides a dedicated app to install and update apps, which is great even if they suggest me new versions that aren't officially available yet. (probably related to a region restriction or a delay from Google to push the app update for all countries).
What do you think about these websites? Do you know a safer way?
I don't have google apps also, using apk pure for now, everything is well.
BlankStore should work for most free apps.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1715375
Wakamatsu said:
BlankStore should work for most free apps.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1715375
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Click to collapse
Yes, I know but it uses Gmail IDs (with a connection to Google servers). Last but not least, the project is discontinued for several months.
I was going to give a try to Blankstore this weekend and it doesn't seem to be a reliable alternative in the medium term.
Primokorn said:
Yes, I know but it uses Gmail IDs (with a connection to Google servers). Last but not least, the project is discontinued for several months.
I was going to give a try to Blankstore this weekend and it doesn't seem to be a reliable alternative in the medium term.
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Click to collapse
@Primokorn ,
what about its alternative.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3217616
would really be interested in your opinion (if you look into it and dont mind ).
"err on the side of kindness"
Primokorn said:
Yes, I know but it uses Gmail IDs (with a connection to Google servers).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I created a throwaway gmail account for this but I get your point.
Primokorn said:
Last but not least, the project is discontinued for several months.
I was going to give a try to Blankstore this weekend and it doesn't seem to be a reliable alternative in the medium term.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's discontinued in the sense that he will not move further with that particular project in favour of another but he will still make fixes when a Google update breaks BlankStore function. It's been "discontinued" since version 0.7.1.
I have a old device just for this purpose.
It has no info on it
Everything possible has been removed that's not needed
(Like calender and contacts etc)
All it does is connect to Wi-Fi to get apps from Google play
Even paid apps.
And I harp non stop to developers and leave feedback on apps that don't support offline use.
(Is in app purchases, online verification, etc things that can be stored on device over getting from internet every time)
I don't see the point of getting apps elsewhere when they will do the same thing to you as Google..But with less oversight.
Virus checkers are pointless when apps are Trojans..
Or have them built in.
I consider any software that mines any thing from your device, without declaring exactly what it is doing every time, nothing other than a Trojan.
Google and it's partners will always push for a proprietary distribution system claiming it will keep you secure
When I'm truth what it does is you your money going to them
When I've had to I've gotten my apks from some very unusual places.
But then you can get some very bad software from very official places.
mrrocketdog said:
@Primokorn ,
what about its alternative.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3217616
would really be interested in your opinion (if you look into it and dont mind ).
"err on the side of kindness"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use microG framework for several weeks now
Wakamatsu said:
It's discontinued in the sense that he will not move further with that particular project in favour of another but he will still make fixes when a Google update breaks BlankStore function. It's been "discontinued" since version 0.7.1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't know that. Thanks for the heads-up! I wanted to give a try this weekend but I had serious with my laptop I keep that in mind for the next time.
nutpants said:
I have a old device just for this purpose.
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Click to collapse
What an expensive alternative! I'm used to sell my current device to buy a new one and that's not handy IMHO.
nutpants said:
And I harp non stop to developers and leave feedback on apps that don't support offline use.
(Is in app purchases, online verification, etc things that can be stored on device over getting from internet every time)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Solutions exist for devs to not use Google Play online verification but they want to use it to punish users who download warez. Even if I can understand this point of view, we wouldn't have warez with FLOSS softwares.
nutpants said:
Google and it's partners will always push for a proprietary distribution system claiming it will keep you secure
When I'm truth what it does is you your money going to them
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have done some fruitful research to prepare an article about GAFAM and other big companies. In addition, Google doesn't protect our freedom of speech (I noticed this many times with 'ordinary people').
Now that I clearly know what they did/do/will do, how could I still use their services?!? My next Android work will be published under GPL v3, I already stopped any operations on Google Play and I try to push devs to offer free/libre softwares. Marcel (M66B on XDA) is the perfect example of an awesome developer :good:
Primokorn said:
I use microG framework for several weeks now
What an expensive alternative! I'm used to sell my current device to buy a new one and that's not handy IMHO.
Solutions exist for devs to not use Google Play online verification but they want to use it to punish users who download warez. Even if I can understand this point of view, we wouldn't have warez with FLOSS softwares.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I rarely sell my devices, (i have 6 of 9 that I play with somewhat regularly sadly)honestly i keep the last one as a back up in case the new one has issues or a failure. And when I do think of it, it not worth the money to make it worth the time..
I still have my Windows mobile 2003 Siemens sx66
(Not that is have been turned on in years)
But really it's an investment in my security.
(And I no longer get the hottest newest devices asap anymore, that's a zero sum game that has few benefits beyond bragging rights)
My tablet dual boots between Google play only rom and everything else internet rom also.
I have yet to hear of a protection scheme that had not been broken in hours. I think bluray was the last major public disaster. If the time spent on protection was spent on quality assurance I think it would be a different landscape in the digital world.
Even with floss you have warez.. just in different forms. Mods,hacks, cracks, custom roms It all just words that describe one developer modifying others work without permission for features that are not present, either added or removed.
It's point of view.like anything.
Myself, I stand back and promote security,offline abilities and operation and open source.
It's where my money goes, my time and my vote. Every chance I get.
XDA: Focus on making independence accessible to android users!
@Primokorn: Thanks a zillion for starting this crucial discussion. I don't know how often i pointed out these issues.
Of course, i also have some aesthetic preferences. But diving through endless reefs of startup animation replacements, battery monitor alternatives and half-baked theme studies is not what i expected xda-developers.com to end up, 12 years after i started being around.
In my eyes, the whole aftermarket ado should be concentrated on maintaining the independency of the most popular mobile operating system of the universe by it's users. Crucial topics be
Liberating the app distribution architecture
Optimizing the permission restriction system
There are great approaches like the Aroma Installer, that have been employed to supply user friendly means for debloating and debranding. Have a look at the Screenshots of stockymod.
@nutpants:
And I harp non stop to developers and leave feedback on apps that don't support offline use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do the same thing to official institutions when they release apps. If i wasn't in that hyper-busy age around 40, i'd start a little riot about publicly funded software that ends up being published behind the wellknown golden cages exclusively. The necessity to change this in a grassroot movement is obvious.
Apkmirror.com
Did not know these existed, going to check this out!
Hello all! I'm sure most of you are familiar with Google Play Services, the base of Google's Android framework and the brains behind all the Google things you do on your phone. Less of you, however, might also know that Play Services is notorious for being a beast of an application that no one truly knows the function of.
Below here is a rough explanation of Play Services from what I know about it. You can skip this if you already know and move on to the bread and butter of this post.
Play Services is proprietary software, meaning that its source code is not available to the public. All of Google's apps are proprietary like this as well. While developers like Chainfire have legitimate reasons to close off their app source code so others don't steal it, and so does Google, it is extra worrying from a company that makes a profit off of collecting userdata. Many people, including me, do not trust Google with our data, so we try to avoid their products as much as possible.
I thought that it would be nice to create a megathread of sorts with various users' suggestions on how to subvert the constant surveillance of Play Services, while also attempting to maintain the useful functionality of it. Below are some of the primary methods that I have thought of, and that I and some others have tried:
LineageOS/CyanogenMod Privacy Guard - If you are using LineageOS or any derivative thereof, you can go to Privacy Guard and deny certain permissions from Play Services. I and another user have denied permissions from Play Services without side effects, but your mileage may vary. @javelinanddart said on Reddit that Privacy Guard does indeed block permissions from Play Services and other system apps, so rest assured that Privacy Guard actually does something rather than being a placebo.
XPrivacyLua - This is an Xposed module that feeds false data to apps rather than blocking it entirely. I haven't tried this method myself, but the XDA post I linked above reports that XPrivacyLua works, even in tandem with Privacy Guard.
microG - microG is an open-source alternative to Play Services. It emulates many key functions of Play Services - push notifications, location services, etc - without the data collection running alongside such functionality. To clarify, this is a full replacement for Play Services, so you would flash a microG package instead of a GApps package. There are lots of bugs, though, even admitted by the developer. If you want to learn more, I suggest you visit the XDA thread for it, or view the implementation progress for various pieces of functionality.
There is nothing else that I know of, so if anybody knows of another viable method or can provide their own experiences with the above ones, your contributions would be appreciated by me and the rest of the privacy community.
Thanks for thread.
My only reason to use custom ROM is because they are GApps-free. In nearly every other aspect stock ROMs are better. Phones without good custom ROM I simply setup without Google account and install f-droid and yalp stores.
Another idea:
Imagine: Google is not as evil as we think: there are many privacy related settings in your Google account. You can login with a web browser and try through all these settings - and hope.
Device is a Samsung i9305 with RR-N-v5.8.5-final, Magisk v16.0, XPosed, XPrivacyLua, microG (via NanoDroid). No genuine Google services; Google Play Store is the one and only Google application installed.
I hope it suits into this thread (thanks very much for creating it!), and I'd like to share my settings. Please refer to the screenshots; I think it's self-explaining where they where taken from.
Actually no restrictions to microG, only to Play Store.
Remarks: µG has no restrictions in the firewall (AFWall+ Donation Beta); Play Store only granted internet access via WiFi and VPN. Just for completeness; running a RaspberryPi in the home network with Pi-Hole installed and acting as the DNS-server in the network. Unless using the home network i.e. using a foreign WiFi network or mobile data, ALWAYS establishing my own secure VPN to my RaspberryPi (with PiVPN installed) via OpenVPN and again the Pi acting as the DNS-server. If interested in further details please refer to this thread.
Thanks for this.
I was considering asking for a forum section here devoted to privacy, but it doesn't seem like a popular subject here. (After all, most of the people who have already picked the most snoopery OS in the world could be assumed to be not particularly worried about privacy. ? )
I come from a different motivation: the hope that by using a somewhat hackable OS, one can theoretically modify it in ways to achieve one's objectives, including privacy. But the last few years have made it rather clear that the Big G is working determinedly to foil such efforts.
Lately that seems to take the form of pushing more and more essential services into the Gplay frameworks, and deprecating perfectly working things like GCM in favor of intertwining it with Firebase, which may saddle us with that analytics data vacuum in order to get another essential service, push notifications.
Re: revoking permissions from Gplay frameworks, I feel like Google's determination to get their hands on data by hook or by crook (eg their ignoring of user preferences to disable various radios and enabling them in the background anyway, to track location and such) means they will quite possibly circumvent these preferences at some point as well.
As I mentioned in another thread I've experienced various problems in the past when I tried to aggressively restrict perms on the Gplay services using CM/LOS Privacy Guard, but perhaps some of that came from choosing interactive restriction prompts rather than blanket revoking. I do know that so many essential services are tied-into the Gplay frameworks these days that blocking tons of perms will inevitably cause breakage of some things depending how you use your device.
Jrhotrod said:
...
There is nothing else that I know of, so if anybody knows of another viable method or can provide their own experiences with the above ones, your contributions would be appreciated by me and the rest of the privacy community.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Due to your request above, please allow me to draw your attention to two threads by me. In these threads I tried about one and a half year ago to initially capture but also to update how I believe to have enhanced the battery duration, privacy and security of my GT-i9305 and how I went for a GApps-free device with microG.
Over the time until today, some of the described implementations, applications and measures became absolete or were replaced by others (e.g. using NanoDroid - or Nanomod as it was called in the beginning, since it has come out). Some changes occured due to the step from Marshmellow to Nougat or the non-availabilty of the official Xposed framework for Nougat in the very beginning. However, over all the time I've tried to maintain both threads updated and amended but currently not to much occuring on that frontline, probably because I've received a privacy status on our devices that obviously satisfies me in my personal opinion.
Oswald Boelcke said:
Due to your request above, please allow me to draw your attention to two threads by me. In these threads I tried about one and a half year ago to initially capture but also to update how I believe to have enhanced the battery duration, privacy and security of my GT-i9305 and how I went for a GApps-free device with microG.
Over the time until today, some of the described implementations, applications and measures became absolete or were replaced by others (e.g. using NanoDroid - or Nanomod as it was called in the beginning, since it has come out). Some changes occured due to the step from Marshmellow to Nougat or the non-availabilty of the official Xposed framework for Nougat in the very beginning. However, over all the time I've tried to maintain both threads updated and amended but currently not to much occuring on that frontline, probably because I've received a privacy status on our devices that obviously satisfies me in my personal opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, this is really great! Very high-quality thread.
Will add to OP later today
I apologise for the double post (original in my thread here) but I guess it also suits in this thread.
Found the below quoted post by @jawz101 in the XPrivacyLua thread here. Pretty interesting, and therefore I like to share:
Looking around on Data Transparency Lab website http://datatransparencylab.org/ - they fund grants for research in privacy stuff.
...I found an app called AntMonitor, an academic research project that does a MITM SSL cert + local VPN to look at sensitive traffic - even that which is encrypted. https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...it2.anteatermo
Anyways, it shows some apps trying to send my gps coordinates even though it doesn't have Android permission. Like, my coordinates are actually attempting to be sent encrypted to a destination. XPrivacyLUA doesn't trigger so I can only assume they grab my coordinates in a way that circumvents the traditional Android permission model.
To test, just try the app and open a few apps. I think it's apps with the Facebook graph API that is maybe doing it.
If you like ANTMonitor another app that does an SSL cert+ VPN is Lumen Privacy Monitor- a project by Berkely, but it doesn't seem to detect raw coordinates like ANTMonitor does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
However, I suggest to also follow the discussion/conversation between jawz101 and M66B, which has developed after this post.
Oswald Boelcke said:
Found the below quoted post by @jawz101 in the XPrivacyLua thread here. Pretty interesting, and therefore I like to share:
However, I suggest to also follow the discussion/conversation between jawz101 and M66B, which has developed after this post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is certainly an important discovery, thanks for the news.
Now for the sidenote that's 10x longer than the main comment. ?
One of the key issues I have with the various "privacy tools" is trying to figure out whether or not I trust all these entities that produce these diagnostic things to not be a solution worse than the problem when it comes to possessing and safeguarding my sensitive personal data.
It's getting to the point where I'm no longer enamored of giving *anyone* access to such stuff if I can help it, no matter *who* they are.
Even if they're not lying about their intentions and their commitment to security/privacy, there are still matters like carelessness/incompetence and targeted attacks to worry about.
@Exabyter: You're statement and expressed concerns are abolutely correct. Nothing to add except that I wouldn't limit it to "privacy tools" but especially include all applications that require root (and get it granted by the user) or all Magisk and Xposed modules. The latter should definitely concern.
My personal decision:
I'm not willing to trust anybody from the very beginning but I'm willing to trust single persons, groups or agencies. I've developed my own, private criteria, to which I stick but I've also admit the final decision isn't always based on rationality but also a lot on my feeling (in my stomage).
I don't held any confidential data on my device but privacy related ones, and I don't use my device for any kind of banking, shopping or payments.
I consider to use tools, modules and applications if their functionality rests within my defined specifications for the use of my device. Then I go for "the shopping tour" while I try to look into the details of the tools under closer examination, which includes where is it from, who's the developer etc.
I'll continue with the measures already described in one of my threads.
Oswald - I think we have largely similar stances on such things. In my case I will sometimes sway towards the pragmatic over the pedantic when the pedantic involves so many inconveniences that the tech becomes more of a burden than a help to me.
For example, I really don't like the idea of 3rd-parties keeping data pertaining to my daily geographic movements, but I also use several tools and services that by their nature rely on location data which could in some cases end up in the hands of parties I'd rather didn't have access to it. So I have to regularly weigh the apparent cost/benefit of such services and there are certainly some of them which have a high enough value to me that I willingly lower my default "protection level" in order to keep the other benefits of such tools/services.
Certainly microG is an important tool in that toolchest as it has a major disruptive impact on some of the most common ways Google and other parties snoop on users. But some of its imperfections also threaten to keep me from my ultimate goal of carrying a single phone which performs all the tasks I need to accomplish with it without undermining my privacy in a major way. (And ultimately, my freedom and agency as a citizen in a nominally and allegedly "free and democratic society", which is the actual "big picture" problem with privacy incursions in general IMHO)
I have spent several years now, with varying degrees of effort and success, trying to come up with a hardware/software solution to this problem, and I've never reached a point where I'm fully satisfied with the results. The fact that I am still carrying several mobile devices with me everyday is proof enough that I haven't achieved my objective in this regard and it gets tiring. As does all the time spent on venues such as XDA, researching, discussing and keeping-up with all the relevant issues, not to mention the large amount of time spent tinkering with HW/SW in order to keep all the special measures working. (And after we finally get things working more or less the way we want, we are faced with the particularly customized hardware wearing out, becoming unsupported, 3rd-party ROM and other compatible and necessary software being abandoned/deprecated, and so on and so forth.)
Truth to tell I'm a bit bitter about the amount of time/energy I have to spend to achieve something which should have been part of the mobile platforms in the first place. The current de-facto mobile platform duopoly certainly doesn't help matters.
---------- Post added at 03:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:57 PM ----------
Now that I've gotten that philosophical rant out of the way ? ...
So as far as technical specifics:
microG of course is a big help as it either neuters or removes many troublesome anti-privacy vectors. For example, at the present time it does not support Firebase Analytics at all, which means (as far as I can tell) any app that expects to get telemetry on users via Firebase Analytics will not get anything if the app user's device is Gapps-free and using microG instead. (It remains to be seen if adding Firebase Cloud Messaging capability to microG will negate this presumed benefit. Cynics like myself are inclined to think one of Google's key objectives in deprecating Google Cloud Messaging and rolling push notification frameworks into Firebase instead was specifically to undermine the ability of users to avoid/circumvent Firebase Analytics)
XprivacyLUA looks interesting and is on my list to test. I found its predecessor Xprivacy to be an extremely tedious and labor-intensive option so I never seriously pursued it after my initial testing.
There are various tools I find handy to help get a sense of how dangerous certain apps may be to privacy. Here are a few:
AppBrain Ad Detector
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appspot.swisscodemonkeys.detector
Addons Detector
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.denper.addonsdetector
Checkey (also on f-droid)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=info.guardianproject.checkey
Applications Info (also on f-droid)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.majeur.applicationsinfo
Permission Friendly Apps
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.androidsoft.app.permission