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  • Using RCS with Google Messages on GrapheneOS

As per the paper below both Google Messages and Google Dialer (Phone) call home via Google Play Services for every message/call sent/received.

https://www.scss.tcd.ie/doug.leith/privacyofdialerandsmsapps.pdf

"We report on measurements of the data sent to Google by the Google Messages and Google Dialer apps on an Android handset. We find that these apps tell Google when message/phone calls are made/received. The data sent by Google Messages includes a hash of the message text, allowing linking of sender and receiver in a message exchange. The data sent by Google Dialer includes the call time and duration, again allowing linking of the two handsets engaged in a phone call. Phone numbers are also sent to Google. In addition, the timing and duration of other user interactions with the apps are sent to Google. There is no opt out from this data collection. The data is sent via two channels, (i) the Google Play Services Clearcut logger and (ii) Google/Firebase Analytics. This study is therefore one of the first to cast light on the actual telemetry data sent by Google Play Services, which to date has largely been opaque. We informed Google of our findings and delayed publication for several months to engage with them. On foot of this work Google say that they plan to make multiple changes to their Messages and Dialer apps."

Wow, not very surprising but still sad to see actual confirmation that they collect much more than telemetry

schuflai Longer than 10 min, less than 2 hours. Somewhere within that window it enabled chat features.

Also, Messages kept nagging me every time to allow SMS & Phone permissions to Play Services, so I reluctantly enabled those. I've enabled all permissions in Messages except Location.

GSF has Network access only.

    2 months later

    At the rate I'm going in adding in Google apps, I might as well just re-install stock android and turn over all my data. Anyway, I'm trying out Google Messages and it's now asking me to use my actual Google account. I said to continue without an account. But, what's the correct thing to do?

    Too late to edit my previous reply, but it took about half an hour for Google Messages to get rid of that "Chat Unavailable" notice in its settings and offer to set up Chat. My permissions are as samsepi0I mentioned earlier.

    2 months later

    Anyone had any luck recently with RCS and Google messages? I have mint mobile and it's been stuck on "Trying to verify" for awhile now.

    Update: Got it to work by installing carrier services. Once RCS was activated I disabled the carrier services app and revoked all permission to Google play services except for network. Will test if RCS stays activated or not.

    samsepi0l These are the permissions I needed to give to get RCS to work (on top of installing carrier services like mentioned above)

        9 days later

        Sometimes, Messages seems to just being back to "trying to verify", you just have to let him do whataver it does then you will have RCS back after few hours or maximum few days.

        2 months later

        treequell
        GSF: Network
        Play Store: Network
        Messages: Phone, SMS, Network

        I did not install a carrier services app. I tried removing network permission from messages app after RCS activated and it disconnected, so network access is a must for RCS to work.

        Activated RCS with VPN on through entire process.

        Hope this helps.

            • [deleted]

            • Post #43

            NightSky Its working without giving the Phone and SMS permisison to Play services?

                Wondering by activating the RCS do I need to sign into google or can all this be done with signing into an account

                  beammer335d
                  I have a fake email for the play store. When setting up Messages / RCS, It asked if I wanted to setup with a Google account and I selected no.

                    beammer335d
                    Mine verified for about 20 min or so.

                    Just to be clear I'm in no way, shape, or form advocating for google. My work relies heavily on sms with co-workers, messages just works. I used QKSMS for years but sometimes the open source options can be aggravating at times.

                        2 months later

                        NightSky
                        Thanks,I looked into QKSMS, since after 5 days RCS still couldn't be verified, contained to say setting up.
                        One thing I noticed with qksms, it never Gabe me the option for storage scopps, does that mean that they have full range of all media files ??

                        Thanks

                            beammer335d that's odd it took that long to verify, did you have plenty of signal / network? My wife's phone took 2 separate tries totaling about 45 mins.

                            For qksms, I'm not sure. It seems like it was there before but I checked and scopes isn't showing on mine either.

                                NightSky
                                Qksms, Im guessing now photos/files are being access now without scopes being involved ? Since that app is so out of date