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  • Mental Outlaw shilling false Cybernews article

Recently Cybernews posted an article where they misrepresented a bunch of standard GMS functionality, to look like its exclusive to Pixels and their "security researchers" found network based location pinging abnormal. Anyone with very little knowledge could see through their sensationalist claims. Despite this, Mental Outlaw signal boosted it in his latest video, in which he also falsely assessed that the reason for Manifest V3's existence is to stop ad blocking.

Here's the video with a timestamp:
www[.]youtube[.]com/watch?v=TO48wxdjWMg&t=7m32s

He later decides to also fear monger while he shows a GrapheneOS page on screen, that installing a custom OS is: complicated, can brick the device AND can void the warranty. First two of these is disingenuous at best and the third is completely false. He then implies that hardware warranties will be also voided possibly, by installing a custom OS.

edited YouTube link because Rizzler -other8026

      Rizzler
      I’m not sure about the Pixel warranty but in order to unlock the bootloader on a Motorola you have to request an unlock code at their site, where you are presented with a big warning that it does void the warranty.

          Cold_Beer I'm talking about the Pixel warranty. He was also talking about it in the context of Pixel devices.

              Rizzler
              I didn’t realize the Pixel warranty would be intact. Good to know. There are so many of these YouTube guys out there now giving bad advice, and conflicting with each other on the privacy scene.

                  Hey im very sorry that i brought it up again! I didnt know better. Sorry for headachs 🙈🤗

                    Cold_Beer The Hated One is one of my favorites.
                    With Mental Outlaw, its definitely surprising that someone who can install Gentoo, gives such low quality technical advice. He recommends Firefox too, which is a disaster.

                        Rizzler Thanks for the info, but think you should remove the link or make it unclickable, we don't need to send our web traffic to a video made by a scammer and participate in giving him views.

                            Rizzler
                            YouTube is good for a laugh, you’ve really got to pick through a lot of chaff. The Hated One’s videos can be quite humorous.

                              Yet another reminder for users not to believe everything they see, and to do their due diligence. I really like Mental Outlaw's videos on criminal and legal cases. Hope he realizes his mistakes in the privacy/security area.

                              Xtreix Sorry, can't edit it anymore. Maybe if a Mod finds it worthy, they can make it unclickable. Regardless, its good for context, to back up my claims.

                                  Cold_Beer bro why you bringing something so much different as an example it does not add any truth or authenticity to this conversation. Whatever motorola does with it's bootloder is related to pixel not much more than is jailbreaking an iphone 3gs.

                                  pixel devices are either from Verizon which has a non-unlockable bootloader afaik and must be avoided for graphene os usage

                                  or it is ftom any other carrier bootloader is unlockable these are good for graphene os installation

                                  or it is not tied to any carrier at all (such devices sold from google online store for example) then the bootloader is also easily unlockable without any negative consequenses. All it does is it allows to install a different operating system. And in case of a warranty claim it is not a complicating factor for the claim to be satisfied at all! having graphene os is not a problem for warranty!

                                  And author of the video in subject is simply lying and should not be justified for any reason be it s motorola's bootloader unlocking policy or any other bs.

                                  Please dont add to that informational harm, as it is overwhelming enough and steering people in wrong direction!

                                    Also, i think voiding hardware warranty because of software modifications is illegal in many places.

                                    Cold_Beer A big ugly warning like that doesn't change the LAW. In some cases, the US in particular, the manufacturer doesn't have the right to void a warranty for any kind of modification, unless the vendor can prove that the modification lead to the failure for which a warranty remedy is being sought.

                                    So if you unlock the bootloader and try installing a system image that doesn't boot, and then you can't figure out how to bring it back to stock, then.... no warranty, you pay repair out of pocket. BUT, if you unlock the bootloader and install a custom OS that works fine, and the SCREEN FALLS OFF (maybe the glue failed), then your warranty is intact.

                                    Now there can be arguments in some places around this, like if you install a custom OS that disables thermal mitigation (even accidentally), which causes everything to overheat and a solder connector to fail, or the battery to burn, or some other thing that is may connected to heat.... well then, you may be on your own. Or maybe not. Who knows?

                                      not the first time i've seen bad information from mental outlaw. these youtube guys mostly do pretty surface level research in my experience and looking into their primary sources is always required.

                                      I had a device repaird under warrany after installing grapheneos without an issue , although I did reinstall stock android before sending it in.
                                      I have questioned mental outlaw over the past year , seems to put out info very quick from when it hits major news ( just repeating the other stories or speculation with out anything to back it up ) .

                                        Skyway I heard someone sent it in with GrapheneOS, and they just installed the StockOS when sending it back.

                                            Rizzler that is the norm . usually claim it's for calibrating new screen or if you don't supply a pin they wipe .

                                              Rizzler

                                              The hardware warranty is a straight up lie, I have had Google give me a free upgrade before AFTER I sent my phone in for a free repair. They knew it had GOS on it, they did not care.

                                              Mental Outlaw is one of those youtubers who gives very surface level tech advice that 99% of people can find via a google search