Ive just startee getting into privacy, but i had a few questions.

  1. I havent switched operating system yet due to fear of losing my data. I have a lot of pictures, contacts and messages i dont want to go missing. I have a one plus and i really love it. I do not want a pixel phone. Is there a way i can maintain privacy without changing phones?
  2. If i delete google play services, will my phone not work correctly?
  3. I have been replacing my apps with open source apps, is that helpful?
  4. What vpn should i use? I have malewarebytes.
  • MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz
    14·
    25 days ago

    1. Maybe? There are ways to limit what apps are able to access the internet. Rooting, or installing a Custom ROM may be possible on your current phone.

    2. I won’t break entirely. It’ll probably mostly work, but a lot of systems in normal android phones do rely on google play services.

    3. Definitely. FOSS apps tend to be entirely local, not phoning home unless there is good reason in the context of the functionality of the app. At the very least, they will more often than not still work, if denied internet access. This doesn’t mean good commercial software doesn’t exist, though.

    4. A VPN is probably not necessary for your privacy. Using one is potentially even a privacy risk, as you then need to trust the company providing it, in addition to your ISP. Your actual internet traffic is encrypted either way, unless you visit websites that do not use HTTPS, which is extremely rare nowadays.

    • pandorabox@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      5·
      25 days ago
      1. Thank you so much! Ill see what i can download. Lineage os is not avaliable for my specific one plus phone. I’ll check with some other ones.
      2. I wanted to delete because thats how google mostly tracks people. Is there another system processes i should delete?
      3. Makes sense! Ive been changing them to make sure my data isnt taken.
      4. Yikes i didnt know that. I also use malewarebytes for antivirus so i just started using their vpn. So i paid for it, so i hope they arent bad actors…😭
      • MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz
        8·
        25 days ago

        A VPN provider can potentially log every site you visit, just like your ISP.

        The actual benefits are mostly practical, being able to access streaming services and other sites from other countries.

        It does hide your IP but this isn’t as big a deal as you might think, and moot, if the ISP logs your activity.

        It does not provide some special extra layer of encryption. It does encrypt the traffic, but most of the time, it was already encrypted anyway. The vast majority of internet traffic is.

      • ☂️-@lemmy.ml
        3·
        24 days ago

        antivirus software is, most of the time, spyware.

        it shouldnt be needed on android anyway, if you keep it updated and don’t sideload stuff.

        • pandorabox@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
          2·
          23 days ago

          Yikesss. Ill discontinue it. I definitely got a few viruses on my computer back in the day. And i sail the high seas from time to time, so i dont want to get any foolishness from that.

          I also do not update my device on time. Usually when i updaye my phone or windows computer, something be wrong with it for several weeks, so ive stopped updating them until it force updates. Do you why that is?

          • ☂️-@lemmy.ml
            3·
            23 days ago

            quality control on these updates are honestly on a downhill. especially on windows and some android manufacturers (looking at you, samsung).

            they are still necessary to keep your computing safe though, but you don’t need to install them immediatly. i usually wait a bit until they had time to retract them if they break something big.

            • pandorabox@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
              3·
              23 days ago

              Makes sense, i always ignore them until necesary. My cousin alwat told me to never let the computer update. Hes a programmer and i didnt know why.😭

              How often do they update another android distros like graphene and lineage? Like at similar intervals?

              • ☂️-@lemmy.ml
                2·
                23 days ago

                told me to never let the computer update

                probably beause sometimes, they sneak in stuff we may not want with updates. totally understand where hes coming from.

                graphene and lineage

                every few months, every few days, or every other day. depends on device.

                updating every few months or so is good enough for most people. alternative, open source software wont really come with garbage anyway, so no big deal.

                • pandorabox@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
                  2·
                  22 days ago

                  Yep thats why my windows taskbar doesnt hide anymore. They messed it up on one of the updates. So frustrating.

                  Makes sense. I do want to try the open source software! People say graphene is the best but im not buying a pixel when i love my one plus. And the way people say the battery life is digusting🤣🤣 Linegage ive heard good things about. But they dont have one for my oneplus device. And im afraid of not having my shit backed up. I just want to try degoogling without resetting my device!

                  • ☂️-@lemmy.ml
                    1·
                    22 days ago

                    you can start by replacing the apps you already use. don’t need to overwhelm yourself and do it all at once.

                    replacing chrome for firefox is a good place to start. or using aurora and fdroid instead of google play. or heliboard instead of google board. start small.

                    it will depend on what you are using and how. some things are hard to replace, some has multiple better alternatives.