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
    11·
    2 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
      4·
      2 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…😭
      • ☂️-@lemmy.ml
        1·
        7 hours 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.

      • MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz
        7·
        2 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.