how much data does google grab about you in the EU? and questions about pkpass files and foss for android (like fdroid) (lemmy.ml)

submitted 6 days ago by springs283@lemmy.ml to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

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My employer sent me to Germany, where he subsidizes 50% of my public transportation costs, the so called Deutschland-Job-Ticket.

However, my employer only signed a deal wit the local transportation authority for digital tickets, the kind of ticket you'd store on a digital wallet like fosswallet.

Except that the local transportation authority doesn't offer pkpass files to download, the kind of file you need to work with fosswallet and similar apps, and the only way to use this digital card is to create a google account and download google wallet. I have no idea what an apple user would have to do, as they won't offer pkpass files to no one.

Google is a company I don't trust, but so far every German I've talked to about this doesn't seem to value privacy ¯_(ツ)_/¯

I'm looking for a workable, practical solution because as much as I'd like to show google the finger it seems that's simply not an option here.

Some suggested to get a second android device to use exclusively for this Deutschland-Job-Ticket, but that seems overkill.

I also contacted my employer to ask if they'd allow me have a physical transportation card and still receive their subsidy.

And yet another option would be to buy a pixel, install GrapheneOS, download googlewallet and sandbox it, but I'm not sure I want to spend 700 Euros to make google even richer. Has any of you ever done this? does it work?

The other end of the equation is, how much information google grabs about me in the EU because if I go GrapheneOS, I still need to give google my data. I've never had a google account:

Do I need to give them my real name? A telephone number? my real address? An Email address? my social security number? passport? Will they send me unwanted ads and spam me if I create an account with them?

All this because my employer or the transportation authority won't work with pkpass files...

For more information, you may read my history.

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[-] utopiah@lemmy.ml 6 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

the local transportation authority doesn’t offer pkpass files to download, the kind of file you need to work with fosswallet and similar apps, and the only way to use this digital card is to create a google account and download google wallet.

I'd go to an actual kiosk of the local transportation authority and explain that I do not have a phone yet hope to use the Deutschland-Job-Ticket or whatever my employer currently pays for and let them figure it out. Germany is actually pretty big on NOT being tracked, that's why cash is still pretty important there, more than in most places, so I'd be surprise if they expect everybody (not 99.99% of people, but actually 100%) to have a smartphone that is up to date. In Belgium for example there are usually physical card equivalents for most things that usually require a smartphone. It usually requires going through extra hoops, e.g. paying for the physical token and eventually get the money back when given back, but there are actually alternatives.

Best of luck, please share results here and elsewhere if you do, or do NOT, manage as it's showing to others a pragmatic path and if not where to push back.

[-] TheLeadenSea@sh.itjust.works 15 points 6 days ago

If you claim you have an iPhone and can't install Google Wallet they should either give you pkpass files or a Google device to install Google Wallet on.

[-] timbuck2themoon@sh.itjust.works 8 points 5 days ago

I feel like I read here a couple months back if you visit it in a browser (maybe with a user agent extension) that you can download the pkpass that way.

But I could be misremembering honestly.

[-] some_kind_of_guy@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago

Not sure if this will work in your case, but there's a tool which could be run locally to convert between formats: https://github.com/google-wallet/pass-converter

Also, you should be able to get a pixel much cheaper if it's 2-3 models behind. Pixel 6 for example can be had used for under $200, sometimes even around $100. That is in the US however - I'm not aware of what the secondary market would be like where you're at.

Could they not provide a physical pass?

[-] blurry@feddit.org 4 points 5 days ago

Does the local transportation company provide an app for iOS itself? Maybe that could be an option for you to not use google wallet.

I have chosen a local transportation company to not use the DB navigator app which is a privacy nightmare and support my local transportation company financial.

[-] bruce965@lemmy.ml 6 points 6 days ago

You might want to look into Island/Insular. https://f-droid.org/packages/com.oasisfeng.island.fdroid

Depending on your level of commitment to privacy, this might be a suitable solution for you.

this post was submitted on 03 Aug 2025

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