Google Allows Creditors to Brick Your Phone - Infosec.Pub
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I installed NetGuard about a month ago and blocked all internet to apps, unless they’re on a whitelist. No notifications from this particular system app (that can’t be disabled) until recently when it started making internet connection requests to google servers. Does anyone know when this became a thing? Edit 2: I bought my Pixel 6 phone outright, directly from Google’s Australian store. I have no creditors. Were the courts not enough control for creditors? Since when are they allowed to lock you out of your purchased property without a court order? I don’t even live in the US, so what the actual fuck? Edit 1: You can check it’s installed (stock Pixel 6 android 14) Settings > Apps > All Apps > three dot menu, Show system > search “DeviceLockController”. I highly recommend getting NetGuard, you can enable pro features via their website if you have the APK for as low as 0.10€, but donate more, because it’s amazing. You can also purchase via Google Play store.
    • MisterFrog@lemmy.world
      0·
      7 months ago

      Even if this would help (I’m OOP, and according to some commenters it’s still installed on their phones running other OSes), I’m still outraged at the concept and the fact it’s installed by default.

      Plus, “just” installing a different OS is not a terribly mass-market friendly thing.

      It should be regulated against by governments. The EU is slowly heading in the right direction. We’re letting these tech companies do whatever the fuck they want to.

      Most people don’t have the time or knowledge necessary to make their digital lives entirely private.

      This has “stop global warming by making personal choices” vibes to it.

      I want privacy by default, and I’m not going to apologise for that.

    • Senseless@feddit.de
      0·
      7 months ago

      I don’t think that necessarily helps. I’m running GrapheneOS and “DeviceLockController” is installed there as well. From what I read, it’s because it’s part of AOSP.

      I did take all permissions and from the system logs it reads that this app never has been used or tried to send anything to begin with.

  • Blaster M@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    7 months ago

    Don’t buy a phone on collateral credit (like from a cell provider that “gives” you a phone with service). If you must, ebay a phone and use paypal.

    If you can’t afford a $1200 phone by paying for it in “cash”, you need to aim lower.

    • coffeeClean@infosec.pubOP
      0·
      7 months ago

      I must say Paypal shares customer data with over 600 corporations among other scummy things, so I boycott them. I also boycott eBay because the javascript required to use their website port sniffs your LAN and feeds that back to them, apart from other evils.

      But most importantly, I’m not necessarily worried that I would personally get burnt by this. But just like my unwillingness to buy an Intel CPU with a management engine (or AMD’s flavor of this), I am unwilling to buy a product that was designed to work against me. I do not want to finance anti-consumer suppliers. ATM I don’t know how to check whether my version of AOS has this “feature”.

      (BTW, I’m not the OP; I just linked their post here)

      • deur@feddit.nl
        0·
        7 months ago

        So you just don’t buy anything? Get over yourself and your unhealthy obsessions.

  • IsThisAnAI@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    Don’t buy a phone on random creditors that install this shit. This has nothing to do with Google.

    You going to ditch Linux because they support remote management too?

    • MisterFrog@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      I’m OOP, I bought this phone outright. Google seems to be installing this on phones by default (the actual pattern based on people’s comments seems to be more recent phones, but not all have it).

      It’s even shipping within de-googled phones, at some base ASOP level (or the hardware, I dunno, not that knowledgeable), as some GrapheneOS use reported having it on their phones too.

      I’m pissed because: 1. It’s installed when it shouldn’t be, 2. Gives inappropriate power to creditors, which hurts the most vulnerable.

      • IsThisAnAI@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        Imagine acting like having a $1000 phone is a right. If you didn’t want creditors shutting down your phone, pay for it. Apparently this is an undue burden these days.

    • coffeeClean@infosec.pubOP
      0·
      7 months ago

      This has nothing to do with Google.

      Google welded anti-consumer logic into the kernel. Of course that’s on Google. Just like Intel started making CPUs with a management engine that can only work against non-corporate consumers, basically saying fuck the individuals’ needs… putting individuals at unconscionable risk without their knowledge or consent.

      Consumers have decisions to make. Is a consumer happy to feed a supplier who sells them something that works against them? Some are. I’m not. Going forward they fail to earn my business because they have too many masters.

      You going to ditch Linux because they support remote management too?

      Linux is not locked down. Users can remove anything they want from it.

      • IsThisAnAI@lemmy.world
        0·
        7 months ago

        If you get Linux from work it school it uses the same exact tech. No, you can’t remove it. You don’t own the phone. That’s how credit works. Don’t like it, buy the phone. You are just pissed that creditors are using it. Welding against the consumers 🤦‍♂️.