nullagentFeb 8, 2025

Major privacy alert for Android users.

https://mastodon.sdf.org/@jack/113952225452466068

@jack #Privacy #Android #cybersecurity

jack (@[email protected])

You remember #Apple scanning all images on your #mobile device? If you have an #Android #phone, a new app that doesn't appear in your menu has been automatically and silently installed (or soon will be) by #Google. It is called #AndroidSystemSafetyCore and does exactly the same - scan all images on your device as well as all incoming ones (via messaging). The new spin is that it does so "to protect your #privacy". You can uninstall this app safely via System -> Apps. https://developers.google.com/android/binary_transparency/google1p/overview

Mastodon @ SDF
Show threadAvi    Feb 8, 2025

@nullagent @jack glad i left standard android and went back to calyx a few months ago

it doesnt seem to be in the aosp, its something google adds after, possibly thru play services or some other proprietary blob

Show threadRejZoRFeb 8, 2025

@error420 @nullagent @jack AOSP basically has no functionality. Basing judgement on that is pointless, you may as well go back to dumb phone then. That's the sad reality.

Every single commercially sold phone for the masses uses Google Services which includes this stuff. You can't buy phone without Google. Unless you buy Huawei. But then you may just as well have AOSP Android if you're not in China.

Show threadRené Seindal (MOVED)Feb 8, 2025

@rejzor @error420 @nullagent @jack

Not quite true. There are commercial phones with degoogled Android. I'm writing on one.

@murena @WeAreFairphone

Show threadRejZoRFeb 8, 2025
@seindal @error420 @nullagent @jack @murena @WeAreFairphone As I said, not for the masses, they are super niche ones and if you ask normies they'd never heard about any of them.
Show threadRené Seindal (MOVED)

@rejzor @error420 @nullagent @jack @murena @WeAreFairphone

Then tell people about them.

They're commercially available products any 'normie' can use out of the box.

Feb 8, 2025 at 10:54amMastodon for Android
Show threadRejZoRFeb 8, 2025
@seindal @error420 @nullagent @jack @murena @WeAreFairphone Good luck selling normies a 600€ phone that requires them to manually install APKs and use F-Droid that doesn't have Facebook and Instagram app on it...
Show threadRené Seindal (MOVED)Feb 8, 2025

@rejzor @error420 @nullagent @jack @murena @WeAreFairphone

You've clearly never used one of these phone.

You got every single 'fact' wrong.

Show threadRejZoRFeb 8, 2025
@seindal @error420 @nullagent @jack @murena @WeAreFairphone Sure.