36
submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by Will8250@lemmings.world to c/nostupidquestions@lemmy.world

What are some simple things i can do while using an android phone to maintain some privacy? Been thinking about this since seeing a thread on favorite foss apps. I currently use duckduckgo browser with their tracking deterrent vpn and simple keyboard. Thanks in advance

top 13 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] throws_lemy@lemmy.nz 16 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

On non-root android phone, I always use this steps to maintain privacy

Install f-droid app first, so you can install this apps from f-droid repo

  • Mull browser (firefox fork) + uBlock Origin
  • Cromite (Chromium fork with adblocker)
  • personaDNSfilter or RethinkDNS
  • OsmAnd map
  • GMaps VW (gmaps webview wrapper)
  • Aegis Authenticator (offline 2FA)
  • Binary Eye (barcode scanner)
  • NewPipe
  • K9-Mail
  • Nitter for Android
  • VLC
  • ImagePipe / Scrambled Exif (EXIF remover)
  • KeepasDX
  • QKSMS
  • OpenBoard
[-] gedaliyah@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

I'd also toss in AnySoftKeyboard and Organic Maps.

[-] user224@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 10 months ago

I also like NextDNS. You can try it without account as well, I think for 7 days, if you click "Try it now". Of course, if you delete cookies you get 7 days again.

[-] Notamoosen@kbin.social 3 points 10 months ago

I want to second this. Paid is only $2 a month or $20 a year. Excellent for blocking various trackers on all devices even those not on your home network.

[-] e_mc2@feddit.nl 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

I gave Openboard debug a try especially because it supports multilingual typing and has additional features. Really happy with it.

[-] Fake4000@lemmy.world 12 points 10 months ago

There are a few basic things you can do to enhance your privacy.

Use firefox we a browser.

User an offline password manager like keepassdx.

Substitute Google apps like notes, tasks, and calendar with privacy Foss ones.

Switch your online app with local ones. For example. Rather than using pocket casts, use antennapod instead.

[-] MajorMajormajormajor@lemmy.ca 6 points 10 months ago

Install a custom ROM to remove all the google spyware and bloatware if it's supported by your device. If not, buy a phone that can support one.

LineageOS supports the most devices I believe, so better chance to find one that is supported. Some people don't find it secure enough since you need to unlock your bootloader. You can have LOS without any google apps, or with some reinstalled with microg. Either option is more private that stock android, but the more google apps you use the more data you give them about yourself. I only use gmaps since no alternative works in my area reliably, and banking apps.

GrapheneOS has better security but is only available on specific phones (I believe google pixels only) which makes it more limiting. There are also no google apps, so you're totally reliant on foss apps.

This gives you a range of devices and a range of privacy depending on your use case.

[-] Will8250@lemmings.world 4 points 10 months ago

Thank you for the idea. However, it looks like my device isn't supported. Also, not really looking to go that far. Would doing things like disabling search and location history be effective at all? Other simple steps?

[-] otter@lemmy.ca 1 points 10 months ago

Every little step helps

The worry with some of the privacy toggles in the platform itself is that it might not actually affect what the company collects or uses. So if you can swap an app with a FOSS one, it makes a bigger difference. A chunk of the FOSS apps are better anyways so 🤷

[-] RotatingParts@lemmy.ml 3 points 10 months ago

Universal Android Debloater can help with privacy by deleting some Google programs. As a bonus, it can remove unwanted junk from your phone. Github link to Universal Android Debloater

[-] dez@lemmy.ml 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Debloat your phone as possible as you can, if you dont have a ROM privacy-oriented for your phone, like lineageOS or DivestOS. Replace all google apps for open source apps. Exodus ( https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/ ) maybe can help you. Use protonmail or tutanota for email. After read your post, maybe I will create a thread about my journey to degoogle my life/Android

[-] habitualTartare@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

A simple thing you can do is be informed on what data google is tracking on your phone.

If you are signed into a Google account on your phone, you should check your Google dashboard: https://myaccount.google.com/intro/dashboard and make sure to turn off any tracking you don't want. You can also request your data is deleted through the dashboard or through Google takeout.

If you stay with the built in OS and you can also get away from a Google account (don't sign into a Google account on the phone), you're tracked less, but that's a bit challenging for many.

[-] gedaliyah@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

One helpful tip if you want to keep the phone logged out. You will not be able to install apps from the Google store (a privacy nightmare anyway). You of course will want to use as many FOSS apps as you can through F-Droid (or Obtainium, etc). But you may also need to occasionally use nonfree apps. Aurora Store is an excellent front-end for Play Store, available (of course) from F-Droid.

this post was submitted on 01 Jan 2024
36 points (92.9% liked)

No Stupid Questions

35694 readers
1184 users here now

No such thing. Ask away!

!nostupidquestions is a community dedicated to being helpful and answering each others' questions on various topics.

The rules for posting and commenting, besides the rules defined here for lemmy.world, are as follows:

Rules (interactive)


Rule 1- All posts must be legitimate questions. All post titles must include a question.

All posts must be legitimate questions, and all post titles must include a question. Questions that are joke or trolling questions, memes, song lyrics as title, etc. are not allowed here. See Rule 6 for all exceptions.



Rule 2- Your question subject cannot be illegal or NSFW material.

Your question subject cannot be illegal or NSFW material. You will be warned first, banned second.



Rule 3- Do not seek mental, medical and professional help here.

Do not seek mental, medical and professional help here. Breaking this rule will not get you or your post removed, but it will put you at risk, and possibly in danger.



Rule 4- No self promotion or upvote-farming of any kind.

That's it.



Rule 5- No baiting or sealioning or promoting an agenda.

Questions which, instead of being of an innocuous nature, are specifically intended (based on reports and in the opinion of our crack moderation team) to bait users into ideological wars on charged political topics will be removed and the authors warned - or banned - depending on severity.



Rule 6- Regarding META posts and joke questions.

Provided it is about the community itself, you may post non-question posts using the [META] tag on your post title.

On fridays, you are allowed to post meme and troll questions, on the condition that it's in text format only, and conforms with our other rules. These posts MUST include the [NSQ Friday] tag in their title.

If you post a serious question on friday and are looking only for legitimate answers, then please include the [Serious] tag on your post. Irrelevant replies will then be removed by moderators.



Rule 7- You can't intentionally annoy, mock, or harass other members.

If you intentionally annoy, mock, harass, or discriminate against any individual member, you will be removed.

Likewise, if you are a member, sympathiser or a resemblant of a movement that is known to largely hate, mock, discriminate against, and/or want to take lives of a group of people, and you were provably vocal about your hate, then you will be banned on sight.



Rule 8- All comments should try to stay relevant to their parent content.



Rule 9- Reposts from other platforms are not allowed.

Let everyone have their own content.



Rule 10- Majority of bots aren't allowed to participate here.



Credits

Our breathtaking icon was bestowed upon us by @Cevilia!

The greatest banner of all time: by @TheOneWithTheHair!

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS