My experiment turning all Android app permissions off, specifically to Google Play Services permission & Carrier Services permission

[Arlen Holder]

EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS:

I've been testing the Android Pie Moto G7 for a few days now, where I have
installed hundreds of freeware apps, so I've been testing with all app
permissions initially turned off to everything, including system apps
including Android Google Play Services and Carrier Services (whatever that
does):
<https://i.postimg.cc/DzwR5fYf/permission00.jpg>

Very few programs actually required me turning on _any_ app permissions!
<https://i.postimg.cc/pdGC0GQF/permission02.jpg>

After a few days of testing, there was only 1 minor glitch so far, and a
few bonus glitches, where I'm actually rather surprised how well the phone
works with almost all app permissions turned off.
<https://i.postimg.cc/SxHBxftC/permission07.jpg>

The minor glitch was that cellular data worked only for MMS but not for
Internet, which a half hour with T-Mobile support cleared up, which was
that somehow turning all carrier permissions off swapped the cell tower
access point names as described in more detail this recent thread:
o Curious what access point name your mobile provider uses for
cellular and MMS-only APs on your cellular towers?
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/ez-QuVw1fK4>

When I fixed the cellular tower access point name, I found that I could
still keep carrier services with no permissions, surprisingly, although I
get errors in my notifications (that I could turn off most likely):
<https://i.postimg.cc/xdc1W5Nm/permission05.jpg>

I'm not even sure _what_ "Carrier Services" does; does anyone know?
<https://i.postimg.cc/wxcg4Z4P/permission06.jpg>

The bonus glitch is that programs which were automatically doing things
without me knowing about it are now complaining that they can't do those
things automatically, which I wouldn't have known they were doing otherwise
- so this is a bonus glitch.
<https://i.postimg.cc/xTvRrTyY/permission03.jpg>

Some permissions you can turn on ad hoc, e.g., if you want a browser set to
Google Maps to know where you are via your GPS receiver sensor:
<https://i.postimg.cc/QxWXjCfB/permission04.jpg>

*Overall, so far, it's shocking how _few_ permissions you really need!*

I will test for a few more weeks to hone the process, as, one by one, an
app (e.g., a video camera app) asks for permissions when I use it.

--
Someone has to run the experiments that help us all attain better privacy.

[Arlen Holder]

On Sat, 15 Feb 2020 18:25:34 -0000 (UTC), Arlen Holder wrote:

> After a few days of testing, there was only 1 minor glitch so far, and a
> few bonus glitches, where I'm actually rather surprised how well the phone
> works with almost all app permissions turned off.
> <https://i.postimg.cc/SxHBxftC/permission07.jpg>

I found yet another set of permissions which is NOT in this listing!
<https://i.postimg.cc/SxHBxftC/permission07.jpg>

What happened was I was testing a set of app lockers, such as:
o App Lock (F-Droid)
o AppLocker (F-Droid)
o Smart Applock (Aurora Store anonymous scrape of Google Play)
o LockIt (Aurora Store anonymous scrape of Google Play)
o AppLock (Aurora Store anonymous scrape of Google Play)
o Perfect AppLocker (Aurora Store anonymous scrape of Google Play)
etc.
<https://i.postimg.cc/L8wMJx2c/permission08.jpg>

These apps allow you to password protect any specific app you choose.
o But a whole _new_ set of permissions named "usage access" showed up!
<https://i.postimg.cc/KjZ66VDM/permission09.jpg>

Settings > Apps & notifications > Advanced > Special app access
<https://i.postimg.cc/V6wptTTV/permission10.jpg>

There are a slew of _additional_ access permissions in that location!
o Battery optimization
o Device admin apps
o Display over other apps
o Do not disturb access
o Modify system settings
o Notification access
o Picture-in-picture
o Premium SMS access
o Unrestricted data
o Install unknown apps
o Usage access
o VR helper services
o Directory access
o Wi-Fi control

So it seems we have _more_ stuff to turn off to test over time! :)

--
Removed uk.telecom.mobile as this doesn't pertain to UK specifics.

[Arlen Holder]

On Mon, 17 Feb 2020 07:30:45 -0000 (UTC), Arlen Holder wrote:

> What happened was I was testing a set of app lockers, such as:
> o App Lock (F-Droid)
> o AppLocker (F-Droid)
> o Smart Applock (Aurora Store anonymous scrape of Google Play)
> o LockIt (Aurora Store anonymous scrape of Google Play)
> o AppLock (Aurora Store anonymous scrape of Google Play)
> o Perfect AppLocker (Aurora Store anonymous scrape of Google Play)
> etc.
> <https://i.postimg.cc/L8wMJx2c/permission08.jpg>

UPDATE:
<https://i.postimg.cc/jdPgTJfp/permission11.jpg>

When I test apps, each app has to pass a five-minute test which is
effectively a one-strike-and-you're-out test, where the only two apps
tested in the list above that did _not_ fail that one-strike test were the
following (so far)...

o *Perfect AppLock* (aka App Protector), by Morrison Software
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.morrison.applocklite>

o *App Lock* (F-Droid, GitHub)
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/io.github.subhamtyagi.privacyapplock/>
-
Two types of people are on Usenet: those who add value; & those who can't.

[Arlen Holder]

On Sat, 15 Feb 2020 18:25:34 -0000 (UTC), Arlen Holder wrote:

> I've been testing the Android Pie Moto G7 for a few days now, where I have
> installed hundreds of freeware apps, so I've been testing with all app
> permissions initially turned off to everything, including system apps
> including Android Google Play Services and Carrier Services (whatever that
> does):
> <https://i.postimg.cc/DzwR5fYf/permission00.jpg>

UPDATE:

Even I'm surprised that the phone works well without many permissions which
were set at the time apps were installed, including "Google Play Services"
and "Carrier Services".

Interestingly, some of the turned-off apps complain in the notifications,
where some of those that complain (such as "Carrier Services"
notifications) can be turned off in Android 9 (Pie), but others that
complain (such as "Google Play Services") don't seem to have a way to turn
off that notification (offhand, from simply touching the notification and
trying to disable it).

The bad news is that I see that Google Play Services notification; the good
news is that whatever it's trying to do, presumably it can't do (which is
most likely a good thing for privacy).

In summary, I turned off ALL PERMISSIONS to ALL APPS, and then for about
the first couple of days or three, I was selectively turning on permissions
as needed (e.g., to the camera, or the phone app, or the call recorder,
etc.); but then, after two or three days of use, I haven't needed to touch
the permissions at all.

That means, based on this one experiment anyway, most of the permissions
being asked for are not needed for normal operation of the phone, AFAICT.
--
Usenet is a wonderful way to post experimental results for public purview.