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Discussion: Is Android Doing Enough to Protect Your Privacy? (infosec.pub)

submitted 1 year ago by henfredemars@infosec.pub to c/android@lemdro.id

25 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Google claims that privacy is a priority, and perhaps it is, but we can't deny there's an essential conflict of interest between protecting your privacy and Google being an advertising company.

Recent events in this space include Google's new Ad Topics framework, which purports to offer users more control. I feel it's an improvement over cookies, but having my device participate in tracking me is backwards. After all, my device should be protecting my privacy first, not implementing features to track my behavior.

Data "nutrition labels" in the Play Store are a step forward by encouraging proactively a discussion about how user data is processed and used. On the other hand, recent attempts at DRM for the web in Chrome remind us that the main vendor behind Android doesn't always have user interests at heart.

Is Android doing enough to keep your data safe? If not, what steps could reasonably improve the situation?

In sharing your opinion, please take care to distinguish between Google the company and Android the product. While related, given Google may have privacy issues in one line of business doesn't necessarily define privacy practices on the Android platform. Also, another interesting angle includes what's best for you versus what's best for users as a whole. For example, a privacy feature, to be successful, needs to be reasonably understandable by most users and offer a net benefit without complicating the platform for casual users.

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[–] hottari@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

You're gonna need better sources if you are going to convince anyone that phones are listening to you with mic permission disabled.

That said, I think you know what to do if you are getting your news from the RMS sub. None of these privacy violations, if they exist, would happen to you if you used a Linux phone.

[–] ReversalHatchery@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

You're gonna need better sources if you are going to convince anyone that phones are listening to you with mic permission disabled.

I don't remember saying that. Can you point to where have I said that?

I have mentioned microphone tracking because even when put behind a permission, it is still a concern for apps for which you have allowed microphone access for some reason, often because you didn't really have a choice.

There are many other problems other than that, though, that I have mentioned but you didn't address.

That said, I think you know what to do if you are getting your news from the RMS sub. None of these privacy violations, if they exist, would happen to you if you used a Linux phone.

Yeah probably, but this is an Android community, not a Linux one, and OP has had a question on the topic

[–] ReversalHatchery@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

By the way, it seems there are companies who claim to do this: https://lemm.ee/post/14867323

Honestly, I'm not shocked at all. Smart TVs don't usually gate microphone access behind a permission, and even on smartphones, it's very plausible to me that most people just allow any and all permission popup mindlessly.

Yes, I'm not one of those. But my environment is filled with people who don't care about tech and privacy at all, and with their behavior they compromise my privacy too.