Not if you’re a journalist investigating Sundar Pichai and his anti-competitive and monopolist behaviors
Google’s Advanced Protection Arrives on Android: Should You Use It?
Submitted 9 months ago by Pro@programming.dev to technology@lemmy.world
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/06/googles-advanced-protection-arrives-android-should-you-use-it
Comments
throwawayacc0430@sh.itjust.works 9 months ago
Septimaeus@infosec.pub 9 months ago
I’ve been checking out the localhost tracking vulnerability and there’s something I can’t work out: it’s not even a terribly obscure or convoluted exploit, especially Yandex’s implementation that’s been chugging for more than 8 years over basic HTTP. It’s just a glaring sandboxing workaround that’s been exclusive to this OS for more than a decade.
No matter how many ways I look at it, I haven’t come up with a reasonable explanation for how it was ignored, by demonstrably capable engineers, unless Google itself had use for it in the first place. And that fits a pattern of selective competence in information security that they just can’t seem to quit.
In short it’s the data collection backdoors they leave themselves that defeat the otherwise top-tier security of their consumer offerings, and it’s why I’ll probably never trust anything they’ve touched until I’ve taken it apart and put it back together again.
So no, you probably shouldn’t use it. Trusting the privacy or security claims of any adtech company will always be a mistake.
anzo@programming.dev 9 months ago
I’ll probably never trust anything they’ve touched until I’ve taken it apart and put it back together again.
Me too. But the vast majority of users need guardrails, and have a different threat model. Even those that also care about privacy, if they just want a solution that comes by default, this adtech ‘fake’ or ‘superficial’ solution does provide something. And anything is more than nothing.
LordCrom@lemmy.world 9 months ago
Most features here let Google scan and evaluate what you do on the web, messages, and apps.
They say it helps security, but of course it assures those features are on letting them suck in more data about the person.
A company like Google doesn’t do something out of the kindness of their hearts, they do it for profit
Engywuck@lemm.ee 9 months ago
As every other company.
MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 9 months ago
Some smaller ones can take a hit for doing good. Weird, how greedier you get the more assets you have.
Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 9 months ago
If it’s made by google, I’m going to go with “probably not.”
Ulrich@feddit.org 9 months ago
and since Advanced Protection blocks unknown apps, you won’t be able to side-load
Ah, there it is.
seven_phone@lemmy.world 9 months ago
‘Advanced Protection also prevents you from disabling … Google Play Protect’, I feel safer already.
gronjo45@lemm.ee 9 months ago
atlien51@lemm.ee 9 months ago
pornhub probably
MangoPenguin@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 months ago
If you uninstalled the app or disabled it, then it can’t run in the background.