@privacy How to be private with google services and noroot.

I can’t disable google play services for a lot of reasons (school apps, UPI, etc). I have three main google apps enabled. Gservices, gmail+meet, gpay. I have replaced as much apps as possible. Any guide for being private for me?

      • Sem@lemmy.mlEnglish
        5·
        5 months ago

        It is an interesting question… It seems to me I compared it and I chose Island. But I cannot remember why :D

        UPD. I chose Island/Insular only because it is updated more frequently:

        • The latest release of Insular was at May 20, 2024 and frequency is ~ a release per two months
        • The latest release of Shelter (on F-Droid) was at Dec 12, 2023 and frequency is ~ a release per year
    • delirious_owl
      1·
      5 months ago

      Can’t gapps act as root on all profiles? I don’t think this buys you anything as long as gapps is installed.

    • 0oWow@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      5 months ago

      It’s probably Google sharing that information with Amazon. Amazon isn’t actively spying on Google searches. I could be wrong though, but that is what Google “Ad Privacy” spyware is really about. To let Google share your interests with other companies.

    • I'm back on my BS 🤪@lemmy.autism.placeEnglish
      4·
      5 months ago

      I just ran a test on my stock Pixel 8 Pro connected via Proton VPN:

      1. I opened Firefox and searched DuckDuckGo for “pool heater”.

      2. I scrolled down until I saw an Amazon link, then closed the tab and Firefox.

      3. I opened the Amazon app. I scrolled through the “deals” on the app’s home page and did not see anything pool related at all.

      4. I typed “pool” into the search slowly, to see if and when “pool heater” was suggested as a search. I typed in “pool” entirely, yet “pool heater” was never suggested.

      I don’t know what that implies, but it seems like if I am using Firefox, DDG, and Proton VPN, Amazon isn’t monitoring my Internet searches.

  • Echo5@lemmy.world
    2·
    5 months ago

    You might be able to get a large part of google functionality with a degoogled device running microG or something similar.