XPost: comp.mobile.android, uk.telecom.mobile   
   From: marion@facts.com   
      
   On Sun, 9 Mar 2025 09:29:22 +0000, Jeff Layman wrote :   
      
      
   >> a. Most people just don't think - they don't both to hit the "skip" option   
   >   
   > When I got my Android phones I didn't know any better (although it's not   
   > /my/ Google account being used with the phones - I don't have an   
   > account). I think most users don't know any better. I soon realised that   
   > I shouldn't use the phone for anything that required privacy. I've never   
   > used it to buy anything or use a banking app, etc.   
      
   Hi Jeff,   
   Yup. Most people do whatever marketing tells them to do.   
      
   In the case of setting up a device, they do whatever Google (or Apple)   
   marketing tells them to do, which is in the interest of Google & Apple.   
      
   But not them.   
   Me? I hit the 'skip' button during setup.   
   It's that easy (even on iOS, but Apple is a different beast altogether).   
      
   I'm fine with people who do not hit the skip button; I am just annoyed when   
   they claim they "can't" have privacy. They should say they "don't" instead.   
      
   A huge amount of privacy is gained simply by hitting that "skip" button.   
   For example, it appears the DSID cookie is useless w/o an account set up.   
      
   >> Note: Having a Google Account & having it set up on the phone are different   
   >> things that a lot of people seem to thing are the same - but they're not.   
   >   
   > Well, yes, but I wonder, for example, if using something like a gmail   
   > account would be enough to identify that person as a Google account   
   > holder even if that Google account isn't specifically used with the   
   > phone, only the gmail account.   
      
   Heh heh heh... We've covered that situation in gory detail quite a few   
   times on this newsgroup. The short summary is that certain Google apps will   
   automatically set a Google account on the phone, Gmail being one of them.   
      
   But you can use any other mail user agent than the GMail app to get mail.   
       
       
      
   Offhand, only the Google Voice & the GMail apps create that setup account.   
   Most people would never know this. But most people don't think.   
      
   Because most people don't think, they don't know anything about Google.   
   And then they erroneously claim you "can't" have privacy from Google.   
      
   That's always my point. They can have privacy. But they have to think.   
   The DSID cookie, as far as I can tell, is inactive without that account.   
      
   >> You can still get all the apps off of the Google Play Store repo without a   
   >> Google Account set up on the phone, just like you can get all your Google   
   >> Mail you want without an account on the phone, just like YouTube, etc.   
   >>   
   >>> If you want to be free from Google, probably the way to go is Sailfish,   
   >>> Pure, or Pine.   
   >>   
   >> I think the *simplest* way to be "free from Google" is to hit the "skip"   
   >> button when you set up a phone, or, hit the "delete" button in settings.   
   >   
   > Even when using GrapheneOS, LineageOS, etc can you be /certain/ you're   
   > free of Google's tentacles? See my other reply to you in the thread   
   > concerning showcase.apk backdoor. Yes, I see that Graphene OS has   
   > covered this (see   
   > ),and   
   > have tended to debunk it as an issue as physical access is (probably)   
   > required to turn it on but there are still unanswered questions, such as   
   > what /else/ might be there?   
      
   I don't disagree that the only way to be "sure" of being free of Google is   
   to use some other operating system than one based on Android.   
      
   But I'm not the person to ascertain that. All I can do is divorce from   
   Google in the most obvious ways (e.g., hit the "skip" button).   
      
   Also I strive to not install any apps that have GSF incorporated into them.   
   This is easy with the free Google Play Store replacement apps like Aurora.   
      
   >> However, to address "Sailfish", "Pure" & "Pine", looking them up, is this a   
   >> good characterization of what they are in terms of what you're suggesting?   
      
   > Basically they are all Linux-based OSs (as, up to a point, is Android   
   > itself!). Whether or not any prospective user is going to accept a lower   
   > level of usability for a higher price is a something only they can answer.   
      
   Understood. The beauty of Android are the free apps. These linux-based   
   distros don't have the plethora of free app functionality of Android.   
      
   I love Android, even though I have plenty of iOS devices; the vast   
   availability of the free functionality on Android is impressive indeed.   
      
   >> Thanks for bringing them up, but as with those who say "there is no   
   >> privacy" on Android who also have a Google Account set up on Android,   
   >> naturally I disagree that we have to go "that far" to get some privacy.   
   >   
   > Every bit of privacy helps, but the only way to be fairly sure is to use   
   > a non-Android based OS.   
      
   Understood. And agreed. But... we don't have to have "perfect" privacy. :)   
      
   IMHO, anyone who doesn't hit the "skip" button isn't qualified to talk   
   about privacy since they won't even do the minimum to obtain that privacy.   
      
   Notice the "theme" I'm proposing which is that people "complain" about lack   
   of privacy, but they don't actually do anything about it.   
      
   They don't even hit the "skip" button, which is shockingly trivial to do.   
   So they do NOTHING about privacy except complain that it bothers them.   
      
   In a way, it's like the weather. :)   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)