This thread is prime example of what I mean:
Reason
To be clear from the beginning, I do not blame the OP at all. It is the privsec community and “sources of authority” (YouTube, etc.) that have let them down.
The OP has a threat model that does not seem to be from a place where they understand threats. They also compare fairphone and GOS, since OP assumes they are alternatives with equal “either or”, then one commentator feeds into the idea by saying:
The discussion starts with OP (who is curious and asking for opinions) is immediately drawn in by a commentator who starts with false dichotomy of “buying pixel supports google” while “buying fairphone supports reparability”, then plugs in their “tool” that uses insecure tools and weakens the phone overall, and then finally keeps refuting arguments about how it is not a fair comparison by the other, very patient, commentator.
The entire discussion is captured by the initial framing, and instead of helping the OP, it is just pushing ideological but false claims (somehow shizuku is supposed to open someone up to better privacy?). Especially since the OP looks like a beginner.
But in the end, the OP is drawn to ask if “just adb” is enough or comparable to GrapheneOS. The ideal would have been the inform OP that these claims are fear mongering and unverified info:
If someone had criticized fairphone from the beginning as not a real option, and refused to engage whatever delusional “harm reduction” is being attempted by a “tool”, OP would be actually helped instead of unwillingly being cast into a holy war.
These threads abound in the forum and on the internet. It is very unfortunate, and I have nothing but sympathy for GrapheneOS when dealing with this deluge of dysfunction that fill the expanse of the interwebs.