this post was submitted on 13 Feb 2025
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Privacy

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Apologies If I can't list specific 3rd Android OS here. I know you can't on some reddit privacy subs due to some beef between devs I guess. I'll take down if needed :)

Regardless, Ive been running GOS for a while and just found out theres a feature that allows you to use biometrics while still requiring your pin on the initial lock screen. One of my concerns with biometrics is that in some jurisdictions, law enforcement can force someone to open their phone through face ID or thumb print.

I've been using this feature that allows you to use biometrics but when you are on the lock screen, it still requires your pin. I thought this was really cool because it allows me to use biometrics only to unlock my apps while still adding an extra layer of protection to the unlocking of the device itself. Obviously slightly Inconvenient depending on your worries/threat level, but I just wanted to share this in case anyone else was interested and didnt know about it! Very cool!

EDIT: I just re-read my screenshot and it looks like fingerprint unlock is not correlated to using fingerprint for app unlocking. If this is the case then I'm not quite sure what the actual benefits are here. Please feel free to clarify!

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Most Android versions have this now. Became popular as soon as SCOTUS ruled that police can compel you to unlock your device via biometrics. Enable it. If you think you may be arrested, simply restart your phone and now they need a court order to unlock your phone which means they have to convince a judge with probable cause.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Also put a pin code on your sim card so they can't clone and use the sim card if you shut your phone off.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 days ago

By if you have ESIM, the wipe deletes the Sim as well...

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)

The police cannot clone SIM cards or hijack IMEI without a court order, and if they have a court order to do that, then it's trivial for it to include orders to compel you to unlock your phone/SIM anyways. This doesn't really protect you.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 4 days ago (1 children)

It is not about police hijacking IMEI, my bank only provides 2FA with phone number, and the password can be reset using the OTP they send to my phone. I know the bank is terrible but where I live all banks do same thing. So if my phone ever gets stolen they can just remove the sim and put it in another phone and get access to the Bank account. Also did I mention you can also get username from OTP to your phone so, yeah I should probably not use any bank and go live in mountains. But SIM lock helps.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 days ago

It is not about police hijacking IMEI

That's the entire point of the OPs post that I replied to. So.... Yes it is.