this post was submitted on 18 Mar 2024
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75
Degoogling - can someone ELI5 how certain apps work on Graphene OS? (lemmy.world)
submitted 11 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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Hi,

I am (very, very early) in the process of degoogling. I am definitely not a high risk as far as needing to be completely locked down. It's more about trying to have a little more control over how my data is used.

I am looking at Graphene OS, but I am a little confused how certain apps (that rely on Google services) work. I have a Pixel 8 and will have it for the foreseeable future.

The apps I currently use that I would still need (or their equivalents) are:

  • Clash Royale (Supercell)
  • Notion (Notion Labs)
  • Clickup (Mango Technologies)
  • Business Calendar 2 (Appgenix)

  1. If I installed these exact apps "sandboxed", what exactly does that mean from a user standpoint? Will I have to use a separate account, reboot my phone, etc, or is it a quick process to use the app?

  2. Is there a list of apps that I could browse to find equivalents to the above? Recommendations here are also ok.

  3. I saw that Firefox isn't exactly private(?) and that Vanadium is better in that aspect but I don't understand why. Can someone ELI5, and help me see if this is a relevant concern for me?

Thank you! ๐Ÿ˜

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[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (3 children)

While the storage scopes ability has been there since Android 10, I have never seen the level of granularity by app that GrapheneOS provides anywhere else

What is this granularity? I would like to see.

Using ADB is not for the faint of heart, we all know the capacity of damage it has if used carelessly, and punching a hole with Shizuku does expand the vulnerable attack surface, specially since it enables those holes over WiFi.

Using ADB and Shizuku is far easier than flashing GrapheneOS or anything else on a phone, as it carries no risk of bricking. And Shizuku/ADB fundamentally work over USB cable first, WiFi second. I prefer the old USB cable method because the moment USB cable is unplugged, you can no longer use those APIs without manual USB plugging in and manual user authorisation.

If you could share your guide, I'd appreciate it. I am paranoid about using Shizuku or any other type of hole punching method.

https://lemmy.ml/post/128667

If using Shizuku is equivalent to punching a hole, flashing GrapheneOS is like shooting a shotgun point blank on the head.

Also, I use AppOps with the FOSS Shizuku API, instead of AppOpsX.

Segregate activity between your phone and computer as needed.

This is unrealistic for most people.

Everybody has a phone and a computer. Everybody cannot flash a custom ROM or do this mumbo jumbo. And everybody does not like risking bricking their phones. What everybody can do though is use non root methods to harden privacy and security, that work across all Android phones, instead of being exclusive to some phone brand/model like Pixel not even available in most countries in the world. Also, some people do try compartmentalising at very basic levels, just not with a threat model and discipline, which is what privacy communities should provide.

GrapheneOS weirdos even tell people on their Matrix chat to go fly to other countries and get a Pixel, otherwise they will not get privacy and security. Weird people. https://i.imgur.com/Yv9nvxy.jpg

it's a souls-like game, where the enemies will probably kill you a few times before you level up

I am not going to tell you how to visualise the problem, but even this will become fatiguing. If you are not training yourself towards following a threat model effortlessly and with least device dependence, it will become hard and sometimes impossible.

I believe in digital minimalism being a key factor in living a private life smoothly, and partly also why I named my community privatelife, because that is what I teach people. The lesser you obsess with this circus and the more naturally you formulate a private life protocol, the more mental peace and time you have in life for other things. You also mitigate or avoid participating in dystopian capitalist attention economy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJZ5YNrXMpE

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Dude, your guide is amazing. Many apps you suggest intersect with my preferred apps (for example Joplin. Best Notes app I've ever used, on any device).

I'm going to he playing with Invizible Pro once I go back to Calyx (I plan on doing it this weekend because this werk has proven to be insane at work, and I dont want to do ANYTHING after I turn off my PC).

The double-VPN option, insanity, I jad no idea that was even possible.

Granted, the guide is 2 years old, but most of those still work today, even on Android 14.

And big Kudos on all the links providedbto shed light on Apple's bullshit "it's for your security" politically correct discourse. This shows how little people are willing to reseach before choosing a device.

In any case, I for one still think that degoogling a Pixel device is the best option for my use, since I'm very happy just stripping them out of their original software (system and apps), and runninf over to Calyx or Graphene. I can't say why, I just like to do it. Plus, in my experience, pretty buttery smooth for what I do.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Just condensing both comment replies here.

On how the GrapheneOS team chooses to use fearmongering to make people believe there are no other options, I don't follow people or waste my time going into those threads and conversations.

The problem is when you need some technical support for it. Micay considers anyone not worshipping the fork his enemy, no matter if neutral or critic. If you even dare to raise plenty questions, you will be met with a dead end or a ban. Lots of people have complained to me across the years.

I would suggest you also give Silent Notes a shot. Encrypted, and a bit more discreet than Joplin or Standard Notes or other notes apps. Lightweight as a butterfly.

I have not yet updated the guide because it barely needs any updating, and the core stuff is still the same. App recommendations could be updated a little, and some minor things. I make my guides future proof for years, so it stays relevant if it gets shared around, which does happen.

I can't say why, I just like to do it.

I figured that. Over 95% "privacy" people I have observed do debloating/despywareing as a pastime/fun hobby, and out of cultural coolness regarding the "fuck corporations" anti-capitalist sentiment. You will achieve performance benefits the moment you debloat stuff, and...

my secret saucein developer options, set process limit per app to 2 or 3.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Thanks a lot man. That's a fair point. Not many people have the know-how and the drive to dig 30 pages down search engines looking for that 1 person with their exact same issue and how to solve it, having to go down the road of asking in the official communities. And if they're going to be faced with vexation over even considering a different option, that's toxicity at it's highest level. That's Nazi behavior right there.

In any case, remember i said I was going to go back to Calyx, because "why not"? Well, I saw myself with some spare time yesterday, and here we are ๐Ÿคฃ.

And you're right, my main drive is just that: "FUCK Google, Crapple, Microshot, EA, Meta, the governments (all of them), and everyone else that wants my information without my consent". It's not my only drive, but certainly the top one, followed closely by "if I can do it, why not?".

I'll change those settings too, and will be test-driving some of the apps and tricks in your guide that don't intersect with mine, as well as the ones that are completely news to me.

Thanks again man.

Edit: Just changed the settings:

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

Here is an alternative Piped link(s):

https://www.piped.video/watch?v=NJZ5YNrXMpE

Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.

I'm open-source; check me out at GitHub.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Most of what you mention here I had no idea existed, and I appreciate you sharing it.

As for the scope granularity, this is a simple example for both, Telegram (Nekogram in my case):

Access to 1 contact (added as an example, because in reality i don't give it access to any of my contacts).

And access to 1 PNG image.

Also, thanks for sharing your guide. I'll go over it as soon as I'm off work.

On how the GrapheneOS team chooses to use fearmongering to make people believe there are no other options, I don't follow people or waste my time going into those threads and conversations. Doing thqt would be like asking people over at Google why I should avoid Google. That's yet another reason why I like to have these types of discussions with open communities, the chances of a fully biased point of view decreases dramatically (although it's never fully eliminated).