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Hi. I just got a new phone (Motorola) and spent a bunch of time manually removing access to location etc. I hate Google so much, "don't do evil" my ass. I'm just looking for my blindspots. Im not in tech so, what should be disabled to keep my phone private?

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[-] shrek_is_love@lemmy.ml 43 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Here's what I've done:

  • Delete your advertising ID in the system settings
  • Disable the other ad-related settings
  • Disable tracking in the keyboard app (long-press , to get to settings, then click "Privacy") or switch to HeliBoard
  • Avoid the Google Play store when possible
  • Use F-Droid and Obtainium instead
  • Install the DuckDuckGo browser and enable DuckDuckGo App Tracking Protection (I only use the DDG app for app tracking protection and email protection; I don't browse the web with it)
  • Install Firefox with uBlock Origin
  • Set DuckDuckGo as your search engine in Firefox
  • Make sure your next phone supports GrapheneOS and install that instead of normal Android
  • Wait for real Linux phones to become viable and use that in a couple years

Stuff I haven't done yet but probably will eventually:

  • Replace the default home screen app (your home screen is an app, btw)
  • Replace the Google keyboard app

I haven't looked for good alternatives for these yet so if anyone has suggestions, I'm listening!

[-] nkk@programming.dev 7 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)
[-] shrek_is_love@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 months ago

Typing this out using HeliBoard now. So far so good, thanks!🔥

[-] Telorand@reddthat.com 3 points 2 months ago

It works well with the additional Swipe library, too (which is unfortunately not a FOSS library).

[-] mrnobody@reddthat.com 2 points 2 months ago

Why Heliboard over FUTO Keyboard? FUTO makes Immich too.

[-] nkk@programming.dev 2 points 2 months ago

I used to use FUTO keyboard but I know they had some weird controversies about licensing and such so I figured the safer move would be HeliBoard. FUTO was nice too though

[-] MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz 7 points 2 months ago

Later Android versions also let you set a custom DNS in settings, so you can have DNS level traffic filtering without an app that does it via local VPN.

[-] zemon@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago

Kvaesitso and Lawnchair are launchers that get recommended a lot. I prefer LaunchTime. Unexpected Keyboard is my favorite, minimalist but great. All of these are on F-Droid,

[-] Edce@lemmy.ca 0 points 2 months ago

I use Neo Launcher. It's as close to Nova as I've been able to find. It hasn't been updated in years but I have had no issues with it.

[-] Fiery@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 months ago

The launcher is just an app, but the way it's set up ensures that different launcher apps cannot offer the same experience as the stock one.

Rabbit hole I dove into trying to figure out why my back to homepage didn't feel snappy (like the swipe up animation goes and only after it's done the icons load). Turns out that's pretty much intentional and the solution is rooting your phone.

  • Wait for real Linux phones to become viable and use that in a couple years

God, as a GOS user I want this so bad. I know I can buy used, but having that G on the back of my phone feels dirty. I refuse to go back to Apple, Samsung sucks ass, and I don't want Chinese phones, so I'm stuck here. But I want to be free.

[-] 64bithero@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

I dont think we are ever going to see a third consumer level production phone with an alternative Linux based OS. There aren’t enough people out there in the main stream to make a product like this truly viable. Maybe Fairphone or a equivalent. But that’s a tall maybe. Definitely not a flagship level phone.

What’s more realistic is seeing graphine gain availability on more devices.

This is the one place I haven’t taken the plunge. My experience with Linux desktops over the years leaves me a little concerned being stuck without making calls in an emergency situation. I’m also using MVNOs and I worry they won’t be compatible with a different OS.

[-] ttyybb@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago

Wait for real Linux phones to become viable and use that in a couple years

Is anyone actually working on that?

[-] shrek_is_love@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 months ago

postmarketOS, Mobian, Ubuntu Touch, and Mobile NixOS all seem to have recent activity.

As for hardware, although the PinePhone Pro got lukewarm reviews, maybe they'll iterate and get better or at least prove to other companies that there's a demand for Linux phones.

I'm hopeful there'll be at least one usable option within 5 years or so. And if not, I'll be sticking with GrapheneOS.

[-] danh2os@piefed.social 15 points 2 months ago

The only way to remove Google tracking is to install a third party firmware like GrapheneOS.

[-] Jean_le_Flambeur@discuss.tchncs.de 10 points 2 months ago

Not on a Motorola though. LineageOS would be the alternative here

[-] Undertaker@feddit.org 0 points 2 months ago

That is exactly such a mentioned third party alternative

[-] yuriRO@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 2 months ago

Depending on the model you could try flashing a different flavor of android like LineageOS, it's easy it just looks hard for the amount of steps tho

If you do i recommend downloading f-droid, inside the app you could download Aurora Store that let you access play store without account :)

[-] CatZoomies@lemmy.world 9 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Shrekislove posted some good advice, so I’ll add something here for you to evaluate based on what you said above.

“I hate Google so much… I’m just looking for my blindspots… Im not in tech”

Years ago I went all in and too fast on privacy. I’d recommend some guard rails as getting privacy is a journey. First you need to define what “privacy” is for you. Privacy is a spectrum. Only you can determine it based on your needs and wants, and you can do that by figuring out your threat model.

That old expression of tightening your grip and more things fall out applies here.

Think about your security and privacy. Think about what you’re willing to give up, and think about your relationships with others that can be impacted.

You can get recommendations and learn more about privacy by checking out privacyguides.org.

As for me? I’m basically at the point where I’m fatigued with big tech - especially smartphones. I’m waiting to see when GrapheneOS will reveal what new OEM they are working with, to determine if I’ll get another smartphone when my current one is too old. Else, my plan is to upgrade to a truly dumb 5g phone with hotspot. Then I’ll carry my Linux laptop with me and use that when I need the internet.

Best of luck! Don’t go too fast and evaluate everyone’s suggestions carefully. I don’t recommend just dropping the phone you got and going all in on buying a Pixel and installing GrapheneOS. That’s a drastic action to take suddenly since you’re still getting your feet wet on all this privacy stuff. You can improve privacy on your current phone, and then when you’re comfortable and if you decide you need the benefits of GrapheneOS, then look into upgrading in the future.

[-] kepix@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago

if you dont want to fuck around with custom roms, but you want to get rid of the bloat. look around closely in each apps description, cause deleting everyting can easily break moto gestures https://github.com/Universal-Debloater-Alliance/universal-android-debloater-next-generation

[-] ScoffingLizard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago

Alternatively, if you want to do the same thing without a USB, try Shizuku and Canta from Fdroid. Shizuku allows mods over WiFi and Canta does almost the same thing as the tool linked above, but it doesn't seem to have apk descriptions like the desktop debloater tool. It's just a way to do something similar on your phone. However, iirc the debloater allows more options like saving which apks you deleted or disabled or some such.

[-] kepix@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

not a fan of shizuku, cause everything after a restart just loses permission

[-] ScoffingLizard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago

I didn't notice.

[-] eleitl@lemmy.zip 3 points 2 months ago

Buy a Pixel, install GrapheneOS. Or look into Lineage OS supported hardware.

[-] chemicalwonka@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 2 months ago

LineageOS is far behind GrapheneOS in terms of privacy and security.

[-] UNY0N@lemmy.wtf 12 points 2 months ago

And still worlds better than standard android.

[-] eleitl@lemmy.zip 7 points 2 months ago

Yes, but it supports a wide range of devices, has no telemetry and is available sans gapps so is a considerable improvement over stock.

[-] JamesBoeing737MAX@sopuli.xyz 1 points 2 months ago

Well, they still usually use test keys and don't support AVB yellow (which doesn't concern me because my phone is old enough it doesn't support AVB anyway).

[-] eleitl@lemmy.zip 1 points 2 months ago

Yes, which is why I've moved on from LineageOS on Poco 4 to GrapheneOS on Pixel 7a and Pixel tablet. Should GOS become nonviable then we would have to regress to LineageOS or Linux.

[-] JamesBoeing737MAX@sopuli.xyz 2 points 2 months ago

Wow, some people can afford phones. I can't just buy a phone for 400€. I have a 2017 Redmi 4x i got for free from my dad. Hopefully my next phone will be a device with GOS.

[-] eleitl@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 months ago

I paid 330 EUR new for the 7a, but refurbished would have been cheaper. My Lineage OS device was 200 EUR new. Pixel premium is freedom tax.

[-] yuriRO@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago

Can you provide a link that explains why LineageOS is behind Graphene?

[-] Telorand@reddthat.com 2 points 2 months ago

If you're just getting started, e/OS is a great option for privacy for non-Pixel phones.

You can check compatibility here: https://doc.e.foundation/devices

[-] Undertaker@feddit.org 6 points 2 months ago

It is not. It is better than bloated Google Android but not "great".

  • They use tracking ids for updates
  • They are far behind with updates lowering security and thus risking privacy
  • They use testing keys which is ridicolous
  • They added OpenAI integration and called it "Murena Voice to Text" so that unfiliar users could unintentially leak sensitive data
  • They ignore valid critique and call it 'personal harassment' although nothing personal nor something like harassment happen there (for example in related /e/OS threads)
[-] JamesBoeing737MAX@sopuli.xyz 1 points 2 months ago

Well, apparently they are involved in harassment of gos with caylx and rossman.

[-] ScoffingLizard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Also, consider a threat model to prevent "privacy fatigue". Sometimes people implement countermeasures without realizing it doesn't help them. At least define your privacy concerns and only implement what addresses those.

It sounds ridiculous, but I made this rookie mistake for a year and it was exhausting. Privacy is tough sometimes, but you don't need everything. I just want to look at cat pictures without google selling my info and using profits to undermine government. Some folks will be executed if they are found dissenting against gov on the Internet. Those are vastly different issues with different countermeasures. Good luck!

[-] ScoffingLizard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago

A fantastic quick bang for buck is to download NextDNS. You can use premade domain filters so you don't need to keep adding as much to your deny list. They have a "no Google" filter that automatically gets much of that crap, a "No Facebook" to block all those domains and more. It's not hard to use and doesn't take long to figure out. Just set it up by putting a DNS link in your phone and start checking logs. You're going to be so pissed when you see them.

If those logs don't motivate you, I don't know what will.

[-] ScoffingLizard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago

Here are alt OSs for phones. The last rows on the big table show "supported devices" and there are a few for Motorola. Some might only work with certain models. That is most likely the case. Do not do this if you can't tolerate a bricked phone unless you're confident. I just say that as warning because I truly don't know how hard it is yet.

https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm

this post was submitted on 20 Feb 2026
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