Android is going to be adding developer ID verification for any developer that wants their app to be sideloaded onto more than 20 devices.
You might be wondering: how are they going to track that? Well it turns out they already have been. Google Play Protect is sending the hashes of the apps you install back to Google's servers.
Your unique device identifier, your account info, and the apps you run are stored on Google's servers, even for a local install of a sideloaded app.
It used to be possible to bypass Google collecting this data about what apps you run by disabling Google Play Protect.
With the new 20 device limit, Google is rolling out a new system service called the Android Developer Verifier Service that you can't disable in the same way.
Google is stripping you of the ability to protect the privacy of the list of applications you choose to install on your personal phone that you own.
Listen: I care about security and don't want people running malware on their phones, but everybody's threat model is different.
If you care about security and privacy, you should also care about giving people the option to pick what security means for THEM personally.
There aren't a ton of options for degoogled android phones out there for people that don't live in China, which means that the vast majority of people are essentially being forced into this.
i've been dragging my feet on buying the murena fairphone 6. but i really need to just do it
@RupertReynolds @eestileib @Savagejen
oh wow, what a cool feature. i can't even imagine how many trackers are infiltrating my current phone
more reason for me to make this switch sooner than later
@WorldTravelerAll7 @eestileib @Savagejen In the name of transparency, I have no idea whether any harmless outbound requests were counted (such as checking for updated browser version) and whether any other data leaks went undetected.
But either way it's good to reduce the tracking and see which apps are stuffed with official spyware.
@tranquillity @Savagejen
If I understand correctly, there are advantages to the Play ecosystem (like Android Auto functionality). Having read this, I think for my next car I shall plan on not using Android Auto. Hope my banking apps still work on #grapheneOS without play services!
@noodle @tranquillity @Savagejen
Good question. I'm not really sure, haven't tried myself. I read the following on grapheneos.org:
> Android Auto requires privileged access in order to work. GrapheneOS uses an extension of the sandboxed Google Play compatibility layer to make Android Auto work with a reduced level of privileges.
To be sure the following was written in 2024 on mastodon by graoheneOS:
> Our long term plan is an alternate implementation of Android Auto.
I don't suppose I'll find out though; I'll be getting rid of android auto (I haven't delved into the privileges it demands or how it uses them, I've just decided to edge further away from Google).
@noodle @doboprobodyne @tranquillity @Savagejen
I'm using graphene os, and created a Private Space. Then inside the private space, install android auto (and yeah, play services are required for AA). Then, I unlock the private space when I actually use AA, and when I lock it Play Services stop running. It's helped me wean from Google by making it just a bit tougher to get to, but it's still there (asleep) until I need it.
@Savagejen Google has been interfering with my tablet after 8 years blocked usage of YT 1st to get special password for Google to open and then has removed my ability to get emails and unable to send emails and have no idea how to fix or understand what the hell it wants of me ...
ALL THIS STUPIDITY AFTER USING FOR 8 YEARS 😡😟😡
Today ...sends me message it has removed permission from use of apps that not used in 3 mths or what is on them WHAT THE F.. is going on ???
@Savagejen
what's the difference between degoogled and without play services?
@quinn @Savagejen @torproject Im also curious about this as well.
Ugh... need to get a job so I can try (again) to ditch these horrible app ecosystems
This has me rethinking the Open Android app of my game, which has content some extremists have been trying to ban (and have banned in various places).
The options we as a society in the US had were to deny convincted criminals with suppressed accusations access to the White House, to push hard for regulations against monolopies & for privacy in civilian tech, and to protect news sources & healthy communities.
But now? What are the options? Warnings plus...?
Where is the surprise?
I still can‘t believe folks used to believe that Android ever was an „Open System“. It’s whole purpose is monetarizing it’s users and that’s what made Google Invest billions in it. What did anyone believe?
Interesting. I have Play Protect and Google services disabled, and this phone has never had a google account on it. Plus I have disabled all google apps.
It will be interesting to see what happens since I use Fdroid & Aurora Store.
@Savagejen and Google seams to push developers toward Integration of their Google Play Integrity API .
This ends up in apps that deny a login, because the operating system is not "safe" in a google meaning: it's not original Google android.
@Volkswagen has locked out all customers using a #customrom like @GrapheneOS or @LineageOS
That's what happening, when Google is part of every app and google controls everything.
You lose control other your phone and tour belongings.
@clergyman @chewie @Savagejen sideloading apps, with exactly that terminology, has been a thing basically as long as phones that have ‘apps’
Feel free to yell at clouds, but you are about 30 years too late.
@clergyman @chewie @Savagejen I'm honestly not seeing what the problem is.
Sideloaded apps were originally (and often still) copied across from your computer, as opposed to downloaded directly to the device. In modern parlance it's drifted more towards ‘is it from $appstore or not’, but there's still a useful distinction being made.
@Savagejen I'm gonna need a Pixel With Graphene I fear 💀
I hate fascism so much
@Savagejen It still won't affect my Android device.
What you are talking about is Google Play, not Android.
@Savagejen time to have a tool to flip a few bits randomly in junk data to throw off the hash!!
really shouldn't be needed :(((
le système global et harmonisé de surveillance, reposant sur une coopération internationale intensive et croisement des identifiants à grande échelle, le tout formant un "SSM ". @Savagejen Google, via CES services (Android, Chrome, Play Services), dispose d'un système de collecte de données massif qui fonctionne même en dehors de ses propres stores
ID au nom de la sécurité boîte noire juridique permettant de justifier une surveillance totale
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