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
    0·
    2 months 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
      0·
      2 months 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…😭
        • pandorabox@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
          0·
          2 months 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?

            • pandorabox@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
              0·
              2 months 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?

                • pandorabox@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
                  0·
                  2 months 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!