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Is any one else extremely annoyed by Google's Android privacy bullying?
Ever time I turn on the GPS tracking Google asks if I would like to let them have my location to enhance the location precision. I say no. Fine. I cannot disable the dialog for whatever reason. I then try to turn location tracking off from the desktop widget and it doesn't work for whatever reason. I have to get into the settings menu to do that.
I want to search something, Google Keyboard keeps track of every word I make. Sometimes I press the wrong thing and suddenly my own smartphone is recording me and sending the data over to Google.
I take some photos and Google prompts me to save them to Drive. No I don't want them uploaded to your servers. I have Google apps pre-installed and for some reason I cannot remove them. I disable them and Google Play updates them and re-enables them.
Are normal people really OK with all of this?
You don't have to be somebody important to find this extremely invasive. In two years I might be working in a lab developing solar panel tech. Do I really want to have this Android device trying to record my every movement?
It's Android 4.4.4 if anyone's wondering with an almost stock OEM install.
I'm going to put CyanogenMod on it when I have time but it really annoys me that the market is in such a state that most people don't give a crap about all this invasive tracking.
I mean, lawyers use this stuff. They are aware not to use Gmail when sensitive information needs to be communicated but are they aware of just how much data their phone collects about them?
- erasmuswill 11y agoJust use Google End To End for sensitive communications. As for the rest, I love Google's ecosystem, although it is a huge privacy risk. It's convenient to have everything linked up and "just work".
- ocdtrekkie 11y agoYup. People need to realize that Google Play Services is effectively malware. It steals your data, invades your privacy, tracks your location, and shortens your battery life.
- _RPM 11y agoSomewhat related, but I'm annoyed at the Android overall. It seems I can choose a default "protocol handler" for _every_ app that wants to open a specific type of file. For example, in every new app that opens an HTTP application, Android asks me which app I want to use, Firefox, or Chrome?, It then reminds me that I can change the defaults in "some > place".
- ionised 11y agoCyanogenMod is a lot better for the issues you have. It has built-in Privacy Guard giving you granular control of all app permissions. It also comes completely free of Google Apps, which you can download a very minimal version of if you need it. The version I use comes only with Play Store and the Framework to make it work. I do use F-Droid for apps whenever possible though. I'll never install a stock Google or provider ROM ever again. It's such a hassle to maintain control over what it's doing. Honestly I'm kind of hoping Firefox OS makes good on its goals. I'll switch in a heart beat if it does.