After I de-Googled my phone with LineageOS (eyeing a switch to DivestOS next), I dove into a ton of privacy-focused FOSS for daily tasks.
Here’s the catch: some just can’t compete with what I used to get from the Play Store. I tried the Aurora Store, but many apps still rely on Google Play Services—like ChatGPT, Claude, YouTube, and others.
I want to use Facebook and Instagram without all that tracking nonsense. MicroG seems like a solid replacement for Google Play Services, but I need more than that to boost my privacy.
So, kindly enlighten me up with some killer solutions to use those apps while keeping my privacy intact!
I’m sorry but this is kinda confusing. What exactly do you want to do and where exactly do you want that privacy to be? If you use ChatGPT, all that you say there is fair game for their training (IIRC), so, no privacy. If you use Facebook’s app, again same issue. You can always use their web version for blocking the trackers, but FB/Instagram doesn’t rely on just trackers for constructing your profile within the app.
Remove first the privacy invasive apps (from your life) before you deGoogle your phone, otherwise there is less of a point and you are just hurting your own usability. As what @water said, the apps you use itself is privacy invasive.
If you find that you cannot live without these apps, consider using them through a desktop browser instead. The problem is, that pretty much leaves you to use them at home unless you have a laptop with you.
There are apps in the F-Droid that are merely wraps their respective online version into a app which can sort of help in isolating them.
You should also consider using a mindful “pull” with these apps rather have your attention be ravaged at the mercy of the push notification of Google.
Yes but you are paying for their services with your personal data.
Its a bit unfair to the part of Meta/FB/instagram without paying for something. That can actually put your account at risk of being banned - because your desire to protect your own privacy is as odds with their business model.
I just want those apps to stay in their own lane. For example, after I use Facebook, it shouldn’t know what other apps I’m using or how much.
I use them for my local business, not for personal stuff— I’m definitely not a social media addict. ChatGPT is just for quick non-personal QNA & suggestions, and Claude is for simple coding without privacy concerns.
Moreover, I use multiple email and email aliases for different different services.
Apps are able to see what other apps are installed in the same profile. This is just an android thing. If you want to limit it, put the worst offenders in their own profile.
Android already takes care of that now by default IIRC. Couple of years ago, google had announced that they are changing the permission for which apps can see what other apps you have it on your phone.
I am rusty on LineageOS now because haven’t used custom ROM in 4 years, but it should follow the same principal and behave in similar sandbox-like behaviour.
Moreover, I use multiple email and email aliases for different different services.
There used to be Device ID on Android which wasn’t randomized and was linked to your account, if it’s still the case, then irrespective of whether or not you use multiple emails for multiple services is kinda moot. Especially if they share the same SDK i.e. GoogleAds, MetaAds or whatever there is, and if they are accessing information such as Device ID, your WiFi network name, carrier etc, it should be definitely easy for them to put these pieces together. That being said, just from using the app, Facebook wouldn’t know that you opened signal in background.
@deviancy Really? I thought android had stopped that. I do remember that there was discussion around this on XDA developers around the last time I was reading about these things, so late 2020 and early 2021.
Yes, that’s my understanding of it based on what GOS people have stated and the last paragraph in this section of their FAQ.
However, profiles are the only way to provide a strong assurance of separate identities since the application model of the OS is designed to support communication between apps within the same profile, but never between them.
To quickly use those apps while preserving my privacy, I should run them from a sandboxed work profile, right? Should I use Shelter or Island for that?
I have been using Aurora Store for a long time. The solution for apps that do not work without Google services has been to resort to the web browser. For example, I use ChatGPT through DDG and YT from the Quetta browser. In addition to skipping the apps, I gain all the privacy that the browser offers me: DoH, no fingerprinting, ad blocking…
I can tell you that I often use chatbots from DDG (another advantage is that you can choose several) and the response time is just a matter of a few seconds. In any case, being able to use it from web browsers and the advantages I mentioned more than compensate for me.
Put these apps in a work account with shelter. BUT, beware that if you use a VPN and use stuff that alongside it, Facebook/Google/whatever will be able to associate the VPN’s IP address with your identity.
EDIT: is there even a way to exclude certain apps from the VPN in android…? (Maybe I should start a thread to ask this)
Well, I use inviZible Pro, so it must be impossible for them to get my IP address, right?
Edit :- I’m currently using DDG for accessing ChatbotAis. Now, deciding whether to use work profile for accessing FB, YT, instagram or use privacy-focused frontends or webapps