Hi all.
Just wondering if there is a data base or website that has up to date information on apps and their privacy/security risks. Iv almost ditched my iphone but am unsure as to weather or not apps like Discord, x, Audible, Reddit, Spotify, Audius Music, Rumble, Proton apps suite?
Such a data base would be awesome! Not just to not install invasive apps, but also for finding alternative apps that respect their users.
Thank you.
Apps will get minimally your IP and the phone model, from there on whatever permissions you have granted. There is no privacy app except for those on F-droid.
So non of the mentioned apps present cause for concern?
What about whats app or any other meta or google product for that matter. Is it not dodgy potentially compromising regardless of permissions?
Whatever you do on the apps is tracked by the company that develops the app.
Only exploiting some bug on Android would leak data beyond the permissions.
Metadata exist on specific things like photos and can be removed. The Brax3 native camera app saves technical details, date, time and that the phone is Brax.
The “Image Toolbox” from F-droid will help you edit the metadata and do various other tricks with photos and files, Image Toolbox | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository
You shouldn’t use Google accounts, using Google apps wouldn’t be more dangerous than other apps. If you use a Google account do it only on a Chrome browser on which you do nothing else.
Meta will ask for a phone number and will try to get your contacts but anyway since other people upload their contacts you will be classified instantly that you are related to those people.
For any account that you can login through a browser do it like this on a dedicated browser and avoid the app, for example use one browser dedicated for the Meta accounts.
You can always clear the browser’s cookies if you want to use it for something else.
Thanks George. Thats helpful. In Brave browser one can create multiple profiles. can i just have dedicated profiles? or do i need to use a whole different browser for each?
and would a malicious website impact other profiles on the same browser?
Rob recommends to NOT use profiles because there is always some way to read cookies from other profiles etc.
use the uBlockOrigin add-on on any browser that supports it, Brave doesn’t need it though it supports it
watch Youtube and other video platforms on some open-source app like YTDLnis, Pipepipe, FreeTube etc
Tor Browser is good too and helpful to circumvent censorship or hide your identity
We are actually working on a database of apps and security/privacy score. We will share when published.
That sounds great @plamen!
Non-scientific answer, bit based on what I understand I won’t have the following on my device at all:
(Âą For Microsoft I need to use Outlook & Teams so I have this sndboxed as best you can in Android from main profile and not allowed to run except when I have them open, location not allowed, etc.)
I do use things like:
(² Some people have expressed concern over Bitwarden now big money is invested but I think its not an immediate concern for average person.)
(Âł i.e. no location, etc.)
I have not used or checked Rumble app but am not inclined to use it. I have not heard of Audius Music.
I also came from an iPhone and have done a list of the initial apps I went with:
Brilliant : )
Thank you. I haven’t heard of a few of these so ill check them out. Thanx
I come from the samdung sector.. I just pulled my sim card out, put it in my Brax phone.
I still use my Samsung phone for those apps that I will not put on the Brax 3
Don’t totally get rid of the ipone
There are also many situations in which it would be preferable to be holding a normie phone.
Probably depends on where you get the app from. Others here have some great suggestions. If you happen to get the app from big G, e.g. using the Aurora Store, Aurora can list trackers last it was checked. plamen mentioned their database, that sounds awesome. others here recommended not using an app, but using a browser. That’s what I use for a few (medical apps, ride sharing, others).
I’d say it depends on what you are trying to do. mycenius had a great list of apps above.
A website can have more trackers but you don’t have something running directly on Android. As I can understand people get confused because they try to hide more than what is meaningful (like the mobile number from the banks or other KYC entities) while at the same time they want to use all the mainstream garbage platforms like dating apps, social media, reddit-like fora etc
Hello. Question. Can anyone do wifi scanning on a brax3 phone to track your location?
That was the Mozilla Location Service which was deactivated by Mozilla. You will get an approximate location from the cellular service and the exact location from GNSS if you have the assisted data enabled in the settings.
Heve a look here, opencellid.org
that seems to be where im at at the moment much for the reason of apps i still use but dont want on my brax. Though i might replace the iphone with a degoogled phone cos the iphone feels like an unwelcome intruder with its constant tracking.
I think they reset all my settings before the phone reached me. Google net is off. Have know access to it. Health wifi data location everything reset. I am wondering if I can send it back so something can look at it for me @brax.
Look everyone, this is how you really should be using your devices: DO NOT use any apps or browsing of Social media on your Brax Device and DO NOT use anything Big Tech if you do not have to.
My recommendation is to use your old device, connected via Hotspot to your Brax device for any and all tracking or Big Tech junk use. This includes Discord, Social Media, Banks (because they will not let their apps work on Brax 3), Youtube, etc……
I personally use Proton’s entire platform except Crypto wallet on my Brax 3 and I trust it 100% and recommend it to everyone!! It also runs on Linux you just may need to get techy to make it work and use it.
Take it easy, most people just watch or shoot porn, there is nothing special for the government to see.