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.
  • MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz
    8·
    2 months ago

    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.

    • pandorabox@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      3·
      2 months ago
      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…😭
      • MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz
        5·
        2 months ago

        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.

  • Libb@jlai.luEnglish
    3·
    2 months ago

    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.

    • pandorabox@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      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!

  • shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip
    3·
    2 months ago

    What you can do is download the Aurora store from fdroid, which will give you access to Google Play apps without needing the Google Play store, and then go in and disable Google Play services. That way, if something breaks that you absolutely can’t live without, you can go turn it back on again. What you will find is that most apps will no longer send you notifications because most apps use what’s called Google FCM to provide you notifications which requires Google Play services. So in most cases apps will no longer send you notifications. Some apps will give you warnings to the effect of this app may not work properly without Google Play services and give you an OK button and in most cases they will work alright. And some few apps will just absolutely refuse to work. I know for a fact that Uber and Lyft will refuse to work without Google Play services enabled. With uber at least you can visit m.uber.com.

    As the person mentioned above, using open source apps as much as you can is a great step in the right direction as they don’t phone home nearly as much. If at all. Make fdroid your new best friend and maybe add the izzyondroid repo to it.

    Another category of apps you may have trouble with is mobile banking. I used to have a Neo bank called Chime, and their app worked fine without Google Play services, but I wanted to not need the Aurora store anymore, and I could not transfer between accounts with the Chime website, and so I ended up switching banks entirely.

    • pandorabox@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      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

      • shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip
        1·
        2 months ago

        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?