On Mon, 22 Apr 2019 13:20:26 +0200, Filip454 wrote:
> The thing is that his jokes commented one thing which is hilarious and
> quite sad at the same time - the fact is that Google spies on people
> more than Apple. It's a fact.
(For folks who are NOT Filip454, please skip to the on-topic addendum at the bottom!)
Hi Filip454,
Thanks for letting me know the foundation of your belief system.
My belief system is not imaginary; it's based on pure solid facts.
o Google spying is very real indeed, which is cause for concern for sure
o Apple touts a completely imaginary privacy that doesn't actually exist
Jokes aside, I'm about FACTS & then LOGIC deduced from those facts.
o The fact is that Google spies more than Apple, that's for sure
o But, the fact is that Android _can_ easily be set up to be private
Far more so, in many ways, than iOS can be set up to be private.
o But this thread isn't about iOS - so if you want that thread, go here:
<
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/FCKRA_3i9CY/Bm40liKdEQAJ>
You just have to know how to set up Android for privacy.
o Which this thread (and many others) attempt to outline in detail
> Ok, you want to be specific and exclude all the jokes about Android
> phones? No problem. So here's the thing: I stopped reading after looking
> at your first point (delete Google account).
Hi Filip454,
What's clear is that you just told me that you prefer to be ignorant.
o If you stopped reading, then you'll continue to remain ignorant.
Your choice...
o But, please, don't spout bullshit when you claim to prefer ignorance.
> The problem is that when
> you delete your Google account from the Android device, it automatically
> becomes less functional because you have to install apps from external
> sources which makes your phone prone to vulnerabilities from the internet.
Hi Filip454,
Your shocking ignorance is, unfortunately, astoundingly obvious Filip464,
o For example, AFAIK, the Aurora Store is EXACTLY the same as Google Play!
<
https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/galaxy-playstore-alternative-t3739733>
If you don't even know something this incredibly simple, Filip464...
o Then what confidence do we have on _any_ of your suggestions?
Remember ... my facts have _never_ been materially wrong in _thousands_ upon
thousands of posts, Filip, which you have to admit, for somoneone on Usenet
since the early days, that's pretty incredible (1).
As far as I know, the Aurora store gives you EXACTLY the same apps as does Google Play.
o Do you know that statement to be incorrect?
(If so, please name one supporting cite that your beliefs are built upon.)
> His joke is a clever way to really make people think about the clutter
> installed by manufacturers on their Android phones so I find his post
> very valuable while funny at the same time.
Hi Filip454,
Given what you've told us already, I suspect you would find jokes valuable.
o You certainly didn't find facts valuable.
It appears that the only items of value to you, are the jokes.
o Actual facts, by your own words, you prefer to remain ignorant of
Your choice.
> With that said - smartphones are made in the way that makes spying a lot
> easier. It's just the nature of every smartphone and personally and I'm
> sorry but I think you cannot change it much (of course excluding the
> fact that there are some companies that spy more and there are those
> other companies that do not spy at all).
Hi Filip454,
Despite wasting everyone's time responding to your worthless drivel,
I did write up a few more steps in the work-in-progress apnote on how
to divorce an Android phone from Google without rooting.
Here, for your edification, and for that of others who may be more
worthy, is the only on-topic response in this particular post that
has any value.
o Wipe out as much as you can on the Google servers:
https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity
o Update your Android phone to the latest system patches
o Set up an (encrypted?) external SD card to store your personal files (e.g., photos, calendars, passwords, contacts, etc.).
o Strive to install only Google-Services-Framework (GSF) independent apps whenever possible
o Set up a Google-free Internet-free cross-platform local calendaring system that imports/exports/merges iCalendar files.
- <
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.simplemobiletools.calendar.pro>
- <
https://github.com/SimpleMobileTools/Simple-Calendar>
o Set up a Google-free Internet-free cross-platform local password system that imports/exports/merges kdbx files.
- <
https://www.f-droid.org/forums/topic/keepass2android/>
- <
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=keepass2android.keepass2android>
o Set up a Google-free Internet-free cross-platform local encryption system that encrypts/decrypts TrueCrypt container files.
http://sovworks.com/eds/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sovworks.eds.android
o Set up a Google-free Internet-free cross-platform local contacts system that imports/exports/merges VCF files.
- <
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.simplemobiletools.contacts.pro>
- <
https://github.com/SimpleMobileTools/Simple-Contacts>
o Set up MTP over USB on Android so that you can pass these files seamlessly back & forth over USB on your local network.
<
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/5VKHlHQ8Myg/wyckp5ffCAAJ>
o Set up a WebDAV server on Android so that you can pass these files seamlessly back & forth over Wi-Fi on your local network.
<
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.theolivetree.webdavserver>
o Turn off Auto-sync data:
Settings > General > Accounts & sync > Auto-sync data = off
o Delete the Google account on the Android phone:
Settings > General > Accounts & sync > Accounts > (wipe it out)
o Set up 5 primary notification icons in this order:
Airplane, Location, Data, WiFi, Sound
o Swipe > Notification Panel > Turn off Bluetooth
o Swipe > Notification Panel > Turn off NFC
o Swipe > Notification Panel > Turn off Sync
o Install DNS encryption (e.g., 1.1.1.1)
o Install a set of privacy-based browsers using tor & vpn (i.e., a proxy).
o Tor Browser for Android (official strong tor implementation - supersedes orfox/orbot)
<
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.torproject.torbrowser_alpha>
o Opera VPN-enabled browser (automatically uses a VPN service)
<
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.opera.browser>
o The Epic proxy /VPNbased implementation isn¡¦t yet on Android
o The Brave tor-based implementation isn¡¦t yet on Android
o The GSF-free DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.duckduckgo.mobile.android/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.duckduckgo.mobile.android
o The GSF-free InBrowser ¡V Incognito Browsing browser
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nu.tommie.inbrowser
o Disable Chrome (it¡¦s the worst browser for privacy ever built, IMHO)
Settings > General > Apps > Chrome > Disable
o Install offline voice-to-text engine (Pixel only)
o Neutralize Google services
Settings > General > Google services
Ads > Opt out of Ads Personalization = on
Settings > General > Google services> Security > Google Play Protect
o When turning on Location, always set it to GPS only
o When turning on Location, DISAGREE to "Improve location accuracy?"
o Settings > General > Fingerprints & security > Unknown sources = on
o Deactivate "Phone administrators" you don't want:
Settings > General > Fingerprints & security > Phone administrators
o Supplement Google Play with F-Droid
https://f-droid.org/
o Replace Google Play with Aurora Store (access to Google Play sans an account)
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.dragons.aurora/
o Replace Gmail with K-9 Mail
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.fsck.k9/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fsck.k9
o Settings > General > Developer options > Automatic system updates = on
o Install Internet-free Calendar app
o Install Internet-free password app
o Install Internet-free encrypted file app
o Install offline map app & map database
o Check app permissions (disable those you don't wish to grant)
Settings > General > Apps > (choose an app) > permissions
o Add a content lock in addition to a main PIN or fingerprint:
Settings > General > Fingerprints & security > Content Lock=(add passwd)
o Disable Backup by Google & LG & T-Mobile
Settings > General > Backup & reset > Collect diagnostics >
o Keep Google Maps (for traffic & emergencies) but install a good offline navigation app:
1. MapFactor GPS Navigation Maps, by MapFactor
<
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapfactor.navigator>
2. OSMAnd~
<
https://f-droid.org/packages/net.osmand.plus/>
3. CoPilot GPS - Navigation, by ALK Technologies
<
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alk.copilot.mapviewer>
4. Sygic, by Sygic maps navigation
<
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sygic.aura>
5. Navmii GPS USA (Navfree), by Navmii
<
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.navfree.android.OSM.USA>
o Add an offline Google-free topographic map also if you hike a lot
<
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/zNKD3jyeye4/njtP-yzoAgAJ>
o Use AddressToGPS to ¡§scrape¡¨ the Google Map database for address lookups which pass directly to your offline map app
<
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/me.danielbarnett.addresstogps/> ?= Google periodically seems to kill this type of anonymous scraper
o Use NewPipe YouTube Clone to ¡§scrape¡¨ the Google Youtube database for ad-free youtube videos (you can subscribe anonymously, for example)
https://newpipe.schabi.org/ ?= Google periodically seems to kill this type of anonymous scraper
https://f-droid.org/packages/org.schabi.newpipe/
o Some day, consider a custom ROM of Lineage OS & microG to completely divorce the phone from Google
<
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/E_ULJzPy2T8/x8LpkypRCwAJ>
THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS which will DRASTICALL improve over time!
--
(1) I'm human, so, I may have once or twice in tens of thousands of posts, misstated a
material fact, especially as Usenet is casual, but nobody can find any material fact
I've stated that was wrong (trust me, they've tried), which you have to admit is pretty
incredible for factual credibility on Usenet.