I posted this on Youtube as well. Thanks so much for doing an update on GrapheneOS. I just installed this on a Pixel 9 Pro XL this week. So far I am extremely impressed. Your video has given me more things to explore and to think about. Thanks as always for the awesome content. Some people might think that it's inconvenient to have to figure this OS out. I on the other hand love that I will be more private. Of course when I am not using it, it is still going into a Faraday bag. I am not paranoid. I just don't like be tracked. I hope at some point people accept the fact that wanting to be private does not equate that I have something to hide. As a society we should be alarmed at the amount of data that is being collected. In the US, the government does not need to spy on us. They just need to buy it or order companies to turn over our data!
I have studied many of your previous vids on this topic. I am BEYOND THRILLED for the extensive detail is this video. THANK YOU. I ran into problems as I started (using the web installer, yay..) due to a bad cable I think. So I am ramping up to take another run at this. THANK YOU NAOMI, so very much for this great, detailed tutorial!! xxx
With how apps fingerprint your device (say Google), how does keeping a separate profile prevent invasive apps ID'ing your phone? Does GOS prevent apps from obtaining that info?
I always get tripped up on that aspect: installing invasive apps that can ID you.. thinking that throws away anything else you set up on the device through other profiles.
It's probably not possible to stop all tracking, especially after Google bought SUPL, which is the geosatellite communications algorithm that tracks every phone in the world by cellular triangulation.
Read up on Linux Os’s and find out what info apps can see.
I'm happy with my Calyx OS, with location services turned off, not having to think about Apple or Google knowing my exact position every second, and with moderate protection from geofencing. I still use regular spying apps, because there's no choice if you want the service, but the info they get is minimal, and I get copy cat apps where possible like CleanTube.
After that it's just a matter of trying to keep identity separate from phone identifiers as much as possible. They can track you all they want but if they don't know your name, they can't sell your data.
NSA - knows who you and can't be stopped with current laws and practices
FBI - knows you from Phone number ID, KYC laws, and CALEA Laws. All audio metadata and text messages stored in Utah, but needs warrant for geolocation.
Regular gov agencies only know you from registration and SSN
Police don't actively track unless you are POI, but scan social media.
Apple and Google: know where you are every second
Regular corporations - track by apps and browser fingerprinting and geolocation, if allowed, and sell your data if they can get geolocation lock and personal ID by name, address and phone number.
Rob Braxman on YouTube is good to follow for all this.
OK, it sounds like my next phone needs to be GOS rather than Android, but my cell service provider is Google Fi, and I imagine Google integrates Google Fi with apps. So, setting up multiple profiles will be interesting, especially since Google Fi monitors how much data I use. Of course I can switch to wifi, but that isn't always available. I suppose I should look into ham radio as another fallback.
Yes, but you're removing their proprietary software for software (GOS) that strips out Google. The hardware (Google Pixel) just operates based on what the software instructs it to. It won't send your data to Google if all of those instructions are stripped out.
It's similar if you bought a MacBook and installed Linux. It's Apple hardware but Apple wouldn't know you're using Mint and writing a book in LibreOffice even though it's on Apple hardware.
Using FDroid and/or respectful apps is a step forward, but if you're using Samsung, you're still in their environment. So whatever they collect, using an alt. app store or app won't prevent that.
You're installing software that strips out all of Google from it. It doesn't matter if you're using a Google device. That hardware just runs the software. The software is what allows Google to track and collect data. If the software (GOS) is not Google, the data never gets collected by Google. The hardware just follows the instructions of the software.
I posted this on Youtube as well. Thanks so much for doing an update on GrapheneOS. I just installed this on a Pixel 9 Pro XL this week. So far I am extremely impressed. Your video has given me more things to explore and to think about. Thanks as always for the awesome content. Some people might think that it's inconvenient to have to figure this OS out. I on the other hand love that I will be more private. Of course when I am not using it, it is still going into a Faraday bag. I am not paranoid. I just don't like be tracked. I hope at some point people accept the fact that wanting to be private does not equate that I have something to hide. As a society we should be alarmed at the amount of data that is being collected. In the US, the government does not need to spy on us. They just need to buy it or order companies to turn over our data!
I have studied many of your previous vids on this topic. I am BEYOND THRILLED for the extensive detail is this video. THANK YOU. I ran into problems as I started (using the web installer, yay..) due to a bad cable I think. So I am ramping up to take another run at this. THANK YOU NAOMI, so very much for this great, detailed tutorial!! xxx
With how apps fingerprint your device (say Google), how does keeping a separate profile prevent invasive apps ID'ing your phone? Does GOS prevent apps from obtaining that info?
I always get tripped up on that aspect: installing invasive apps that can ID you.. thinking that throws away anything else you set up on the device through other profiles.
It's probably not possible to stop all tracking, especially after Google bought SUPL, which is the geosatellite communications algorithm that tracks every phone in the world by cellular triangulation.
Read up on Linux Os’s and find out what info apps can see.
I'm happy with my Calyx OS, with location services turned off, not having to think about Apple or Google knowing my exact position every second, and with moderate protection from geofencing. I still use regular spying apps, because there's no choice if you want the service, but the info they get is minimal, and I get copy cat apps where possible like CleanTube.
After that it's just a matter of trying to keep identity separate from phone identifiers as much as possible. They can track you all they want but if they don't know your name, they can't sell your data.
NSA - knows who you and can't be stopped with current laws and practices
FBI - knows you from Phone number ID, KYC laws, and CALEA Laws. All audio metadata and text messages stored in Utah, but needs warrant for geolocation.
Regular gov agencies only know you from registration and SSN
Police don't actively track unless you are POI, but scan social media.
Apple and Google: know where you are every second
Regular corporations - track by apps and browser fingerprinting and geolocation, if allowed, and sell your data if they can get geolocation lock and personal ID by name, address and phone number.
Rob Braxman on YouTube is good to follow for all this.
3 years ago I moved from gmail to Proton. Two years ago bought a "ghostphone" operating on Graphene. Last summer moved to a laptop using Zorin OS.
Zorin is awesome! Super easy to use and migrate users away from Windows (especially with their artificial EOL in Oct of this year)
Thank you!
This makes me want to stop owning any smartphone.
OK, it sounds like my next phone needs to be GOS rather than Android, but my cell service provider is Google Fi, and I imagine Google integrates Google Fi with apps. So, setting up multiple profiles will be interesting, especially since Google Fi monitors how much data I use. Of course I can switch to wifi, but that isn't always available. I suppose I should look into ham radio as another fallback.
GrapheneOS is the Gold Standard. Period.
I have 4 pixels phones in my house between my spouse and I.
They are literally Google Pixel. I hope this is true.
Calyx OS.
Isn't pixel phones made by Google though? Am I missing something?
Yes, but you're removing their proprietary software for software (GOS) that strips out Google. The hardware (Google Pixel) just operates based on what the software instructs it to. It won't send your data to Google if all of those instructions are stripped out.
It's similar if you bought a MacBook and installed Linux. It's Apple hardware but Apple wouldn't know you're using Mint and writing a book in LibreOffice even though it's on Apple hardware.
Ok very interesting and useful, thank you. Would this be a better option than using something like FDroid on a samsung phone instead of G Play?
Using FDroid and/or respectful apps is a step forward, but if you're using Samsung, you're still in their environment. So whatever they collect, using an alt. app store or app won't prevent that.
Explain how this de-googles my Google Pixel phone.... This seems like a ridiculous assertion. What am I missing?
You're installing software that strips out all of Google from it. It doesn't matter if you're using a Google device. That hardware just runs the software. The software is what allows Google to track and collect data. If the software (GOS) is not Google, the data never gets collected by Google. The hardware just follows the instructions of the software.
Are there older Pixel phones this will work on?
This sounds like, "Let me de-Windows your Office Suite software".