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  • Can google apps send data though sandboxed google play services?

[deleted] I will remember to use the right tags next time. The link you mentioned does say that apps can talk to each other. But how do I know if they are talking to each other. Is there a way to track that? Or do I just simply assume they are talking to each other with no solid proof?

Average_joe I'm not sure that the words written with gboard are sent to Google, I read on their blog that it was rather sent to a federated thing to precisely be able to receive all the words and be able to send them back to the users of the most private way possible. it is to be checked but everything at Google is not bad

Average_joe I don't use the Google calculator because the GOS one is enough for me, and I don't use the photo application because the GOS one is enough for me too. on the other hand it is clear that your photos in Google photo go to Google if you accept the storage

    Paflechien I primarily use google photos for gcam support and editing. I never give it network permission. I backup my photos in proton drive. But does google still have access to my photos through google sandbox services?

      Paflechien so google photos, dialer, calculator and keyboard can't collect data and send it to google play services which inturn sends it to google?

        Paflechien no, each app has its own sandbox

        You either misunderstood the question or don't understand how IPC works, in either case your comment is not applicable.

        • [deleted]

        • Edited

        Average_joe You can try decompiling those apps to find out (It will be hard, but still)

        Average_joe so google photos, dialer, calculator and keyboard can't collect data and send it to google play services

        Well they can.

          Hey! This is a topic that has been discussed numerous times before - you can likely find other instances of it being discussed if you look for it on here.

          That said, apps in the same profile can communicate with each other with mutual consent. Mutual consent means that both apps have to agree to be able to share data. If one party (one app) is unwilling, another app can't just take another app's data. All apps are sandboxed and their app data is isolated.

          This is in no way specific to Google apps, it's something that apps can do in general. IPC is not some evil thing, you probably see it in practice when using your phone every day, and you don't even realize it.

          If you don't want two apps to be able to communicate with each other in this manner, even if they mutually consent, you can put them in different profiles, which would prevent them from being able to see or communicate with each other.

          Furthermore, GrapheneOS will likely have a feature in the future that will allow you to prevent app communication in the same profile as you choose. You can see a proof of concept of this here:

          https://twitter.com/GrapheneOS/status/1636042398043086850

          The feature is in the research phase, because the project wants it to provide meaningful benefits, and not a false sense of security, so there are multiple things that this feature would have to adjust for it to provide a tangible benefit and actually do what it says on the tin. There is no ETA for when this feature will be added.

          I hope that helps!

            matchboxbananasynergy so the only way to be sure if certain apps are not communicating with each other is by placing them in separate profiles. Got it. And man I am looking forword to the restrict communication feature. Hope it launches soon.

            • KS1 likes this.

            Open board is a really good one to use instead of gboard :) also simply gallery for photos. The only google app I use is gcam and I have a shim installed so I can use the photo preview without having google photos

              [deleted] I would very much like to know if your method by IPC works, I am a car photographer, I store everything in Google photo for practical reasons, on the other hand the advertisements that are offered to me in chrome have absolutely nothing to do with that! the videos that are offered to me on youtube are never on the theme of cars, and I have not deactivated advertising profiling. so I would like someone to explain to me by a+b why I am not entitled to an ad that might interest me? I use all the Google services to connect to the internet, even the Google keyboard. if anyone has an answer...

                E24 already using it. Do miss the speech to text function from gboard though. Got to work with what's available

                • E24 likes this.

                Paflechien as far as I know google does not use photos, files and keyboard activity to send you ads or promos of any kind. But they do use it to collect data and train there AI models and other services. I think it is written in their terms and conditions.

                  a month later
                  • [deleted]

                  Average_joe The photos and files aren't sent in the first place (unless you use google photos and/or google drive)

                  And Gboard does "Share usage statistics" with Google and It also uses Federated learning to "Improve for everyone" using Gboard. Gboard also personalises for you without sending any data. You can opt out of "Share usage statistics" with Google, "Personalise for you" and "Improve for everyone".

                  • KS1 likes this.