Re: How Google tracks Android device users before they've even opened an app

On 16/03/2025 18:16, Marion wrote:

On Sun, 16 Mar 2025 18:00:37 -0000 (UTC), Marion wrote :
 

We have a detailed thread over here that shows you can instantly negate the
DataSetIdentifier (DSID) cookie by a simple action that is trivial to do.
  *Google Android "DSID" cookie, Android ID & Android System SafetyCore*
  <https://www.novabbs.com/computers/thread.php?group=comp.mobile.android>
  <https://newsgrouper.org/comp.mobile.android/121580/0>
  <https://comp.mobile.android.narkive.com/JedCXG9A/google-android-dsid-cookie-android-id-android-system-safetycore>

 Ooops. I apologize to RetroGuy! I didn't realize the RetroGuy was one of
the respondents, where I greatly admire The RetroGuy for what he does for
us (e.g., his archives are the best - and I respect him for doing that!)
  <https://www.novabbs.com/computers/thread.php?group=alt.comp.os.windows-10>
  <https://www.novabbs.com/computers/thread.php?group=,alt.privacy.anon-server>
  <https://www.novabbs.com/computers/thread.php?group=comp.mobile.android>
  <https://www.novabbs.com/computers/thread.php?group=comp.os.linux.advocacy>
 However, my reaction equating those who claim that you can't have privacy
to those who claim you must be slaves is based on facts about privacy.
 You can have privacy.
You just have to NOT do exactly what the marketing orgs tell you to do.
 You have to think for yourself.
Don't blindly accept all the defaults when setting up a system.
 Think about what you're doing.
Make liberal use of that 'skip' button.
 The fact that people make the claim that you can't have privacy bothers me
so much that I react vehemently to anyone who says "you can't have privacy"
on Android, since you have far more privacy on Android than on iOS simply
because an Android phone works 10x better (my guesstimate) after you hit
the skip button, while on iOS devices (which I have plenty of) the device
works 1/10th as well when you don't set it up with an Apple Account.
 Ask me how I know this fact.
  *Google Android  "DSID" cookie, Android ID & Android System SafetyCore*
  <https://www.novabbs.com/computers/article-flat.php?id=57594&group=comp.mobile.android#57594>
 There's more functionality on (non-rooted) Android when you hit that skip
button, and when you replace the Google Apps with their 1:1 equivalents.
 Just *look* at the functionality of this search app, for example:
  <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=scadica.aq>
 Which I get, for free, with full functionality, simply because I hit the
"skip" button, so no app has any way to directly charge me for anything.
  <https://skyica.com/appfinder/get/>
 If that app doesn't have over 10 times the functionality of the Google Play
Store search engine, I'll never again post to Usenet. It's that good.

You can have a /greater/ degree of privacy by following your instructions noted in the previous thread in relation to a Google account and the DSID cookie. But "privacy" isn't a term to be assumed where Android is concerned. There's an interesting article at <https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2025/03/13/googles-android-decision-bad-news-for-all-samsung-pixel-users/>. (*** see below)
Quote:
"Google has an awkward Android problem that a recent report highlighted. The AI space race between Google and Samsung and between Android and iPhone has exposed long-standing issues that the companies need to address, issues buried within Android’s core."
Note in particular "...issues buried within Android’s core".
And from the final paragraph in that article:
"None of this changes the nature of the bad news for Google or Samsung users given Android’s tracking, or the need for transparency and clarity as to what is being done on-device, how and by whom. It would be good to see a thorough review of the hidden tracking taking place without consent or opt out — that means “silent” Android tracking and digital fingerprinting. It would be good to see default opt outs introduced across the board."
Hmm."...hidden tracking taking place without consent or opt out — that means “silent” Android tracking and digital fingerprinting". And I wonder how deep down those default op outs will be hidden if they are forced to introduce them. :-(
(*** NB - scrolling down the article webpage results in a message: "Application error: a client-side exception has occurred (see the browser console for more information)". The browser page is then lost. I got round this by turning off my Wi-Fi immediately the page had loaded. The whole page could then be read by scrolling down)
--
Jeff