this post was submitted on 27 Feb 2025
1007 points (96.7% liked)

Technology

63414 readers
4850 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.

Our Rules

  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related content.
  3. Be excellent to each other!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
  10. Accounts 7 days and younger will have their posts automatically removed.

Approved Bots

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
L3s
enu
technopagan
L4s
1007
Google’s ‘Secret’ Update Scans All Your Photos (www.forbes.com)
submitted 1 day ago by [email protected] to c/technology
268 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Per one tech forum this week: “Google has quietly installed an app on all Android devices called ‘Android System SafetyCore’. It claims to be a ‘security’ application, but whilst running in the background, it collects call logs, contacts, location, your microphone, and much more making this application ‘spyware’ and a HUGE privacy concern. It is strongly advised to uninstall this program if you can. To do this, navigate to 'Settings’ > 'Apps’, then delete the application.”

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Don't use Google Play. Prefer Obtanium, F-Droid or Aurora Store.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Though just not using it makes no difference. You need to remove Play Store and Play services to orevent them from tracking you and managing your apps.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Tracking maybe, but how is the Play Store managing my apps?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

the google play services system can silently install and remove apps from your phone

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago
  • Updates them for you
  • Scans them for you
  • Removes ones for you if Google (often correctly) deems them to be threats to your device
[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Incidentally, Aurora Store is unable to find this particular app.

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

Sure it can: