Using some Google Services Defeat the Purpose?

yenilley

I'm new to graphene, and knew that I would still use some google services like RCS, Gmail (though would like to move away from that) and YouTube (run a patched revanced version) and Android Auto (using the sandboxes one). So I knew going in I wouldn't be full degoogled but more google contained. Gmail now only gets network and notifications. Not sure how the patchrd YouTube app handles tracking and all. But does this defeat the purpose? Are they still capturing everything I do even though I turn off as many permission as possible to still allow apps to work?

I still need to finish adding other things I use daily/find alternatives. But genuinely curious others thoughts.

Probably9857

yenilley

It doesn't defeat the purpose.

You're still getting a lot of benefits from GrapheneOS, even if privacy from Google isn't one of them. And privacy from Google is still improved compared to stock.

If that wasn't true, why would GrapheneOS spend so much effort to enable compatibility with Play Services?

Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

littlerack

yenilley Gmail now only gets network and notifications

That's a relatively easy thing to replace (with a bit of patience thou) - use fairmail or alike (FM even allows to not report its "user-agent" from what I've understood).

The only reason why gradual migration towards de-googling may not be good, is that if you keep a mix of googled/degoogled, then apps such as Play Store will have a chance to learn your app patterns if google implements such fingerprinting, even if you move a clean device with no google, it will be easier for them to link "new you" to the "old you". Can't think of any other impact so far

yenilley

Probably9857 thanks for this! That's what I was telling myself going into this but then when the first things I installed were google related it felt funny.

Now I need to figure out how to get my banking apps to work

yenilley

littlerack

I'll have to check out Fairmail. Thanks for the rec. Is that the case with google play even with the sandboxed version that comes in GOS?

yenilley

littlerack thanks for the tip for FairEmail! Got it downloaded and synced to my Gmail. Silly question but since it's pulling from Gmail do I need the Gmail app installed? Or does it just fetch via the web

gristle-cause

GOS is an improvement in every sense. Any app, function, or service is more private & secure on GOS than it would be elsewhere, due to it's powerful exploit mitigations

Sandboxed Google Play is done quite well. It does not give Google the special, advanced permissions it has on other AOSP systems. It is a normal app, with normal permissions. This is a GOS exclusive, and one of its flagship features

Of course, total divorce from Big G is the goal for many who seek privacy. But conducting that transitional period on GOS is more than worthwhile

yenilley

gristle-cause yeah I actually went through the google apps I installed to compare permissions from my s24u and immediately felt better even having them given how much they don't have access too now.

littlerack

yenilley do I need the Gmail app installed

Nope. That's the beauty

yenilley

littlerack wow amazing. Gotta add my other accounts and figure out sorting

KitsuneNoBaka

And instead of YT app you might use PipePipe app. Then you will not need PlayStore app.

Norman

Patched YouTube using Revanced sort of defeats the purpose for 2 separate reasons:

The Revanced team is practically dead. All the devs that did all the patching work have moved over to Morphe.
To use Revanced/Morphe you need to use MicroG. To oversimplify, MicroG is a less secure and private version of Sandboxed Play Services. It doesn't sandbox proprietary Google code so it is less private by default.

I recommend using alternatives like PipePipe or GrayJay instead. These require no Google services and do mostly the same thing.

yenilley

Norman yeah I was a long time user of revanced but recently switched over to morphe.

With the alternatives like pipepipe and greyjay where you can import subs does it then also make recommendations on videos based on that and what you watch? Tbh I have loads of people I subscribe to but never watch their stuff and mainly sit on the recommended page which will recommend the people I watch that I sub too but then also will find new people. And will sub for the purpose of supporting them even if I never watch another of their vids lol.

Never dove deep enough into the Alts to know if that's how they work

Norman

yenilley

I use GrayJay but don't use it 'logged in' to YouTube.
But from what I understand you can log in to YouTube and carry over recommendations etc.
I think there was at one point talk about making a custom recommendation system that doesn't rely on YouTube's algorithm.. but I'm not sure if that's a thing yet. I recommend just checking it out and seeing if it's something for you.

I also used to use the recommendation system from YouTube but it increasingly became slop and random 10 view videos. Or I'd watch a one-off video about some topic and instantly get 1000 recommendations about it that I dont' care about.

I just ended up subscribing to every channel I could be remotely interested in and separating them into different folders in GrayJay. That way I can just sort by the thing I'm interested in at the moment!

yenilley

Norman thanks! Does logging into grayjey with YouTube though have drawback?

Call me crazy but I kinda like when I get recommended vids with like 100 views. I've unironically found some awesome creators that I've watched grow rapidly over like a year