How private enough are these permissions for Google services? (GrapheneOS)

Questions
1

Hi there,

I only install open source and trustworthy apps in my main profile, the only 2 exceptions are Google Messages (for RCS use) and WhatsApp, both installed through Aurora Store, I don’t have a Google account.

Of course I need the sandboxed Google Play Services and Google Play Store to make RCS work and here are their current permissions:

Google Play Store: Network and Sensors
Google Play Services: Network, Notifications and Sensors

Obviously I had to allow other things to make RCS work in the first place. So what do you think about think about the current state (privacywise) of my main profile? As far as I know, only these 2 apps need GMS among my apps.

2

Are you sure sensors is needed?

  • Google can see a list of the apps installed on your phone, just like any app.

  • Theoretically they might be able to determine your location with sensors permission, just like any app with sensors permission.

  • They constantly know and are logging your IP address.

  • There’s probably more I’m not thinking of

  • Any apps that don’t have network but cooperate with Google could share their data with any other Google apps that do have network which could then be given to Google. Source: https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/1517-gboard-and-google-play-services-check-ipc

You might be able to give Google less data by using WhatsApp installed from their website instead of Google because then it might not have Google’s services built in.

3

To be fair I’ve disabled Sensors for both of them yesterday, still haven’t had the opportunity to verify if it’s really needed.

You might be able to give Google less data by using WhatsApp installed from their website instead of Google because then it might not have Google’s services built in.

Google services are mandatory to get WhatsApp notifications without having to set the app to ‘unrestricted’ battery usage.