Privacy Guides

Is the Google Services Framework ID (GSF ID) visible and accessible to all apps downloaded on mobile device running on Android 10 or higher? Or is the GSF ID only visible and accessible to privileged apps on the device?

If you want to join the group, please send me a PM with the reason you want to and your favourite animal.

Does anyone know about the legality of removing the built-in sim cards from your car, specifically in Australia?

I don't intend on using any car smart-features when I get one. For context, I've never owned a car. When I do get one though, I intend to remove the sim card to prevent the car's location from being constantly tracked. All I care about in terms a cars functionality is a radio, a CD drive (Yes, I use CD's), and Bluetooth audio, so I don't think removing the sim card should affect this much, if at all. Any knowledge and advice would be appreciated, thankyou!

Update: What I was referring to is an eSim, which appears not to be in the form of a physical card. Even so, if possible, I would like to disable the functionality of this eSim assuming the car I purchase has one in-built. From my research, I cannot find anything that explicitly forbids disabling or removing Sims.

Hi guys!

Today I use Mullvad VPN on my Pixel 8 but unfortunately Mullvad team didn't enable multihop feature to use on Android app.

Use WireGuard official app and importing wireguard key file is a good approach to have multihop feature enable on Android?

iOS apps that build their own social networks on the back of users’ address books may soon become a thing of the past. In iOS 18, Apple is cracking down on the social apps that ask users’ permission to access their contacts — something social apps often do to connect users with their friends or make suggestions for who to follow. Now, Apple is adding a new two-step permissions pop-up screen that will first ask users to allow or deny access to their contacts, as before, and then, if the user allows access, will allow them to choose which contacts they want to share, if not all.

For those interested in security and privacy, the addition is welcome. As security firm Mysk wrote on X, the change would be “sad news for data harvesting apps…” Others pointed out that this would hopefully prevent apps that ask repeatedly for address book access even after they had been denied. Now users could grant them access but limit which contacts they could actually ingest.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/17061827

Hello let's say you are absolutely forced to join zoom in the future, is there any way at all to have any security, such as an alternate client that can connect? I expect the answer is no besides only connecting in a browser with add ons or in a sandbox etc etc and nothing truly groundbreaking.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/22775470

I'm looking to buy a router for home use, on which I plan to install OpenWRT. After some research, I have come across the TP-LINK Archer AX23, which checks all of the boxes I have:

• [x] Comparatively low price

• [x] Supports WPA3

• [x] Supported by OpenWRT

• [x] Has at least three LAN ports

However, before I and my dad go and buy one, it has to pass the final test: the forums.

Has anyone used this router before? What was your experience? Can I do better, or have I found the best router ever made? Please share your thoughts.

I'm asking for Android specifically, but I'm curious what else is out there.

For example, some apps work without internet but may use it if it's available. I might want to block that without having to turn off wifi, force stopping it, and wiping the cache/data.

Similarly, maybe I only want to use the app over a VPN and want to prevent accidentally opening it without first turning the VPN on.

I have thought about this on and off for quite a few years now, and I was just wondering what people here have done while maintaining account / device security.

I hope people don't mind this rather morbid conversation, but how have people here planned for what will happen with their accounts, computers, self hosted things etc. in the event of their deaths? I am particularly interested in what people have planned for if they are the person in their household who is self hosting things for the household. I'm not in a living situation that allows me to self host much but it is one of the questions I've had for myself when I decide to move in with my significant other and self host more things. I don't think they could manage much of the self hosted stuff and I also don't think they can remember all of the credentials for accounts etc., is the best way of going about it sharing a keepass database or bitwarden account with them?

In regards to my accounts, I am not expecting most of my accounts to transfer, if anything I'd much rather them be deleted (and I have enabled this feature where possible). There are a few however, that I wouldn't mind leaving to someone after my passing. Is there a privacy and security preserving way of setting this up?

I guess I have just been struggling with how to do this, ideally I would want a way for accounts to transfer to someone listed in my will, but I don't think it's a good idea to give ~2-3 people a copy of my keepass databse while I am still living.

I am looking forward to hearing what people's thoughts are on this matter, and I apologize again for such a morbid topic.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/16884561

It looks like the internet archive is needed assistance, I just heard about this today and figured lemmy could help spread this message around

Hey @privacyguides
I can't post a picture from my account on your lemmy instance. Please help.

Might be helpful for those that

• don't have access to hardware that can run things locally
• understand the benefits and limitations of generative AI

Link: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=DuckDuckGo&ia=chat

As a nice coincidence, one of the first results when I searched for a news update was this discussion:

https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/adding-a-new-category-about-ai-chatbots/17860/2

I just share it cause I like how cryptee becomes better and better with each update :) Document templates, massive performance improvements and more.

Hello everyone! Long story short, I switched from CalyxOS to iOS because the Pixel 5 was too big for me.

Now that I'm on iOS, I'd like to know if there was a way to use google maps anonymously/privately.

I used to use the GMapsViewer application on Fdroid. Today the solution I've found is to use Firefox focus and go to the Google Maps site, but it's a bit of a mess to find a simple address.

Do you have another idea for me? Thanks in advance!