Is Mastodon app sending it's package ID to websites a privacy concern?

DeletedUser273

The Mastodon Android app recently added a release with a PR, that sends an app ID as referrer to the websites it opens from within the Mastodon app. What could the reason be behind adding this? Is this a privacy concern?

Pocketstar

DeletedUser273 I cannot answer your original question myself, perhaps others can provide a valid anwser, but I can point out (some of many) alternative apps.
I stopped using F-Droid, (because of the security concerns) but here are the some GitHub links of alternative Mastodon apps that you can implement in Obtainium:
https://github.com/LiveFastEatTrashRaccoon/RaccoonForFriendica
https://github.com/LucasGGamerM/moshidon
https://github.com/pachli/pachli-android
https://github.com/captainepoch/husky
https://github.com/tuskyapp/Tusky
You can also get some of these apps on the PlayStore.

Sempa

Pocketstar hi, are those great for privacy concerns? Opsec-wise

Pocketstar

Sempa Well, if the permissions are not invasive it should be fine, but indeed; most of these apps are great for privacy.
An app that scans for permissions and/or trackers will give a little more clarity in that regard.
However, using some kind of proxy like TOR or a VPN might give more privacy on top of that, especially if you don't post anything identifiable.
There is no guarantee though, like with most things online.
I use Tusky myself, it has no trackers and very small amount of (necessary) permissions.
Do check trackers and permissions on every update though.

Sempa

Pocketstar you have a nice picture

xxx

Pocketstar I use Tusky

Will have tocheck it out. Anything I should consider?

Pocketstar

Sempa Thanks! Sometimes I take things too literally, so the image was quite fitting.
But I did not make it myself, it was made with AI.

Sempa

Pocketstar Midjourney?

Pocketstar

Sempa
I mostly use https://github.com/ShiftHackZ/Stable-Diffusion-Android but this time I used this DeepAI website.
I would not recommend it due to privacy issues, but at least I could do stuff there without needing to login, however, the SDAI app can be used offline and is FLOSS, (Licensed under AGPL) therefore I can only recommend that.
The quality of results depend on the settings and the model used.
I think a more powerful machine like a PC can give better results.
I am not too familliar with AI yet however.

Pocketstar

xxx Will have tocheck it out. Anything I should consider?

My apologies for the late reply.

About the webservice;
The only thing I can think of to consider is that the articles people publish on Mastodon are usually visible to the public, but it is possible to change privacy settings and you can even host your own private server I believe, but I never tried that myself, so I cannot tell anything other than it is worth a research. It is a bit like X/Twitter, but without the negatives. (It is a "healthier" alternative)

About the app itself;
I used this app for a while until I discovered I had very little to say in public. (My life and the things I tell are kinda stale)
So I stopped using it, but during usage I was very happy with the quality of the app itself. Therefore the reason for me to quit was myself rather than the app, I still recommend it.
The app has a small footprint, (it is a lightweight client with the necessary functions) it has no trackers, ads, it has regular updates and it is FOSS. (Free software license)
However, it is always recommended to do some research yourself about its functionality and to take a peek at their site for further information.
https://tusky.app/
https://codeberg.org/tusky/Tusky
You can add it to Obtainium through this link
https://codeberg.org/tusky/Tusky/releases or use the search function in Obtainium itself.

xxx

Pocketstar Thank you! This helps me a lot.
I have become quiet picky about apps and services over the years but this sounds good.

xxx

Pocketstar Yes Tusky is great. So thanks again.
Now I have a lot to study.

Unified push is included
Timeline is already full

Pocketstar It is a "healthier" alternative

^^ My goal is to read news mostly there. Have to try if this works out for me.

Pocketstar

xxx Thank you! This helps me a lot.
I have become quiet picky about apps and services over the years but this sounds good.

I'm glad it worked out for you!
About being selective towards apps, I certainly catch your drift, apps on my device also require to be at least;
-FLOSS
-Ad-free
-No trackers
-Preferably a light footprint
I no longer have any third-party proprietairy apps installed on my device.
For reading news and other themes I can also recommend RSS feeds and podcasts through Antennapod.
https://github.com/AntennaPod/AntennaPod