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Help with Privacy


Ive just startee getting into privacy, but i had a few questions.
1. I havent switched operating system yet due to fear of losing my data. I have a lot of pictures, contacts and messages i dont want to go missing. I have a one plus and i really love it. I do not want a pixel phone. Is there a way i can maintain privacy without changing phones?
2. If i delete google play services, will my phone not work correctly?
3. I have been replacing my apps with open source apps, is that helpful?
4. What vpn should i use? I have malewarebytes.
in reply to pandorabox

  1. Maybe? There are ways to limit what apps are able to access the internet. Rooting, or installing a Custom ROM may be possible on your current phone.
  2. I won't break entirely. It'll probably mostly work, but a lot of systems in normal android phones do rely on google play services.
  3. Definitely. FOSS apps tend to be entirely local, not phoning home unless there is good reason in the context of the functionality of the app. At the very least, they will more often than not still work, if denied internet access. This doesn't mean good commercial software doesn't exist, though.
  4. A VPN is probably not necessary for your privacy. Using one is potentially even a privacy risk, as you then need to trust the company providing it, in addition to your ISP. Your actual internet traffic is encrypted either way, unless you visit websites that do not use HTTPS, which is extremely rare nowadays.
This entry was edited (5 days ago)
in reply to MentalEdge

  1. Thank you so much! Ill see what i can download. Lineage os is not avaliable for my specific one plus phone. I'll check with some other ones.
  2. I wanted to delete because thats how google mostly tracks people. Is there another system processes i should delete?
  3. Makes sense! Ive been changing them to make sure my data isnt taken.
  4. Yikes i didnt know that. I also use malewarebytes for antivirus so i just started using their vpn. So i paid for it, so i hope they arent bad actors...😭
in reply to pandorabox

A VPN provider can potentially log every site you visit, just like your ISP.

The actual benefits are mostly practical, being able to access streaming services and other sites from other countries.

It does hide your IP but this isn't as big a deal as you might think, and moot, if the ISP logs your activity.

It does not provide some special extra layer of encryption. It does encrypt the traffic, but most of the time, it was already encrypted anyway. The vast majority of internet traffic is.

in reply to MentalEdge

Makes sense! Thank you so much! I didnt kmow much about the vpns
in reply to pandorabox

  1. You can't delete it without root, you can disable it. In rooted phone you can delete google play services with UAD, and replace it with microG which is a open source implementation of google play service to let apps work without google play service. Your custom ROM have to support signature spoofing.
This entry was edited (5 days ago)
in reply to pandorabox

antivirus software is, most of the time, spyware.

it shouldnt be needed on android anyway, if you keep it updated and don't sideload stuff.

in reply to umbrella

Yikesss. Ill discontinue it. I definitely got a few viruses on my computer back in the day. And i sail the high seas from time to time, so i dont want to get any foolishness from that.

I also do not update my device on time. Usually when i updaye my phone or windows computer, something be wrong with it for several weeks, so ive stopped updating them until it force updates. Do you why that is?

in reply to pandorabox

quality control on these updates are honestly on a downhill. especially on windows and some android manufacturers (looking at you, samsung).

they are still necessary to keep your computing safe though, but you don't need to install them immediatly. i usually wait a bit until they had time to retract them if they break something big.

This entry was edited (3 days ago)
in reply to umbrella

Makes sense, i always ignore them until necesary. My cousin alwat told me to never let the computer update. Hes a programmer and i didnt know why.😭

How often do they update another android distros like graphene and lineage? Like at similar intervals?

in reply to pandorabox

told me to never let the computer update


probably beause sometimes, they sneak in stuff we may not want with updates. totally understand where hes coming from.

graphene and lineage


every few months, every few days, or every other day. depends on device.

updating every few months or so is good enough for most people. alternative, open source software wont really come with garbage anyway, so no big deal.

This entry was edited (2 days ago)
in reply to umbrella

Yep thats why my windows taskbar doesnt hide anymore. They messed it up on one of the updates. So frustrating.

Makes sense. I do want to try the open source software!
People say graphene is the best but im not buying a pixel when i love my one plus. And the way people say the battery life is digusting🤣🤣
Linegage ive heard good things about. But they dont have one for my oneplus device. And im afraid of not having my shit backed up.
I just want to try degoogling without resetting my device!

in reply to pandorabox

you can start by replacing the apps you already use. don't need to overwhelm yourself and do it all at once.

replacing chrome for firefox is a good place to start. or using aurora and fdroid instead of google play. or heliboard instead of google board. start small.

it will depend on what you are using and how. some things are hard to replace, some has multiple better alternatives.

This entry was edited (1 day ago)
in reply to umbrella

Yepp! Firefox was an easy change. I use it on my computer!
I love the helioboard. But i feel like im making a bunch of spelling mistakes with it😅
Thats truu. I do not like sms alternatives, any recomendations? Im currently using quik and i dont like how clunky it is. It looks weird.

Yeah i need to take it easy i just want to change everything all at once🤣
I changed my notes app, calendar app, keyboard, clock app and sms all on the same day🤣🤣

in reply to pandorabox

i dont use sms a lot, so i dont have a good rec here. i just need one that can block the spam, and any will do for me.
This entry was edited (1 day ago)
in reply to pandorabox

I havent switched operating system yet due to fear of losing my data.


If you value any data, you should already have backups (plural), right? So, if you decide to switch OS you don't need to worry about your data since you have backups (plural). Hint: if you don't do backups already, start now with or without OS switch.

If i delete google play services, will my phone not work correctly?


Depends what you do with it. What OS you use. My spouse is using /e/OS and she has access to all the apps she needs, but I reckon you probably don't use the same app as we do (we're both 50+) ;)

I have been replacing my apps with open source apps, is that helpful?


Depends. It's probably a good idea but if you use open source apps to access and use non-privacy respecting services, well, they won't help much.

What vpn should i use? I have malewarebytes.


One you trust. I use Mullvad and Proton. Both are paid for.

in reply to Libb

Im not sure! Whatever one that came with my one plus! I use my phone alot, so maybe something that has a lot of power. I have so many texting apps.

I should try a new vpn and see what i like!

in reply to pandorabox

This entry was edited (5 days ago)
in reply to shortwavesurfer

Thank you so much! Downloaded aurora!

I probably will only use my computer for banking. It may be annoying, but to protect privacy, gotta do what you gotta do.

Yes ive been using droidify!! Its so good! It includes the f droid and izzy on droid

in reply to pandorabox

You're well on your way to making some really good choices. I also have to ask, are you using a password manager already? And if so, which one are you using? I use keepassxc on linux and keepassdx (from fdroid) on android and sync the database with a flash drive. I don't trust any clouds, and so I don't have any of my files on clouds. Also, are you using Monero yet?
in reply to shortwavesurfer

How does a password manager work? I never understood it. I dont want to mess up my password to where im locked out of those accounts. And i also want to be able to remember my password because ive been signing out of accounts. If i dont remember the password and i wont be able to use my accounts. Source: its happened before. And what happens if someone steals the password manager and gets all your passwords? My cousin is one of those weird people who created a unique password for every account and writes them in book. And im like what of someone steals the book? Like what if someome steals the flash drive.
Am i thinking too much into this?

I havent used monero. Im also afriad of crypto. Can you tell me more?!?! I would love to start but i dont know anything about it.

in reply to pandorabox

This entry was edited (4 days ago)
in reply to shortwavesurfer

Thank you for your response!
I'll give a password manager a try! Which one do you recommend?

Monero is interesting, ill take a look! Should i be using tor with it?

in reply to pandorabox

in reply to shortwavesurfer

Thanks so much! Im gonna give those a try! I probably wont be fancy enough to back them up with a flash drive. I should tho.

Yep definitely not smart enough to do that yet🤣🤣 I'll have to stick with retoswap or buying it through the actual website. Im gonna get a different vpn based on all these comments. Im gonna try mullvad, is that good one?

in reply to pandorabox

I have not used mullvad myself, but i have heard from others that they are a good choice
in reply to pandorabox

I already have a proton account, so I have access to proton VPN. Otherwise i most likely would
in reply to pandorabox

netGuard to control which app connects to which site and which apps are blocked ☞ f-droid.org/packages/eu.fairco… or github.com/M66B/NetGuard