Don't install closed source software and you elimine 99% of these problems
this post was submitted on 03 Feb 2025
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Privacy
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Apple released a more user friendly version of this in 2021 https://www.apple.com/privacy/docs/A_Day_in_the_Life_of_Your_Data.pdf
I think it's safe to say that, at this point, most people know that their information is being sucked up. But very few care at all. Some of the people I've spoken with are actually in favor of being tracked because they find it beneficial and they want better ads. I don't know if this is a real desire for them or if they've been brainwashed.
The chance of your personal data being used against you is increasing every day. Leaks are happening all the time; largely from databases presumed to be more secure than an app on your phone. Still, relatively few people are really affected by this.
Please tell me otherwise but it seems that the worst thing the data collecting raised in this post could do is manipulate an algorithm to show you ads or social media content or other website content (most concerning, political propaganda).
That's to say, okay - this is weird but you have to tell people why they should care if you want them to raise concern. WHY is this "terrifying"? I mean, I can speculate but even the worst case scenarios I've told people about have barely raise an eyebrow.
They "cared" when women needed abortions...
But in the same breath mock me for my hat being made of tinfoil 🤡
Fucking hell this is terrifying.
Horrific read!
Yet another reason why I use F-Droid and RethinkDNS with "Block newly installed apps by default" in the universal firewall rules enabled.
Only the absolute neccessary apps that I can't live without (like my Swedish bank's app) will be installed from Play Store.
Additionally, you can set Android to use an ad-blocking DNS server without apps. In Settings > Network & Internet > DNS, select "Private DNS" and set the hostname to a custom server, like base.dns.mullvad.net (Mullvad's DNS server is free to the public, does not require a VPN subscription).
The per-app controls sound neat! I might give that a try. Google killed the ability to restrict apps' network access years ago, specifically so ads would always work. I've never tried a local VPN as a workaround.
That works too, if you don't use the DNS within RethinkDNS. At the moment, I subscribe to over 100 lists that mainly blocks ads.
OMG I could use a VPN and Firewall at the same time with RethinkDNS app? 😲
I mean I know the app existed, but I didn't know it could do that. I was about to comment a "Android only allows a VPN or Firewall not both" comment, but checked the app to make sure I'm right, then I see the VPN option in there and I'm like: Why the fuck haven't anyone told me anything about it
Yepp. I have used the Wireshark servers from Mullvad VPN for at least 1 year in RethinkDNS now. Works flawlessly.
White list firewall
Fucking horrifying but great read. I was using ad blockers before but now I have +1 (top reason IG) reason to use them even more. Fuck ads companies