Purpose

This document proposes to set the scope of the term ‘deGoogling’ as defined by /e/OS. Ever since the first /e/OS ROM’s rolled out, the term ‘unGoogling’ and then ‘deGoogling’ has gained currency. The term is often loosely defined as a complete removal of all Google related code from the Android Smartphone operating system code base, leading to a dogmatic definition. This document seeks to correct some of these incorrect assumptions behind such ideas and instead attempts to focus on the expected benefits of deGoogling. Here we share some points to clarify each question. There could be more points.

The Reasons Behind Google’s Use of Personal Data

  • To improve user experience
  • Help local business
  • Connect business and the customer
  • Integrate businesses across the globe

What information about the user is usually leaked

Leaked from a non deGoogled smartphone and also across various devices such as tablets, computers and smartwatches:

  • Location in real time and location history
  • Search History
  • Browsing history
  • Email contents
  • Application usage: which application, usage monitoring
  • Spending ability
  • Address books
  • Digital footprint
  • Bank information

Why is it dangerous for the user to share this information

  • Loss of privacy
  • Sensitive personal information getting into the hands of unscrupulous elements
  • Breach of trust. Data pilfering without user approval
  • Identity theft

What deGoogling does to the user

  • Returns control of data to the user
  • User is aware of what information is being leaked
  • Any information shared is with users approval
  • Transparency in user data usage

What deGoogling will not do

  • Protect users from Government security agencies when someone is targeted
  • Protect users from big Criminal organizations when someone is targeted

How /e/OS deGoogle’s Android

  • Clean up of the source code by removing most Google server calls
  • Connectivity checks traditionally done against Google servers, replaced with our servers
  • Replace Google NTP servers for network time protocol
  • Removed default Google DNS and offers more choices for DNS settings
  • Replaced all default Google Apps by privacy-safe and feature-equivalent apps
  • Adds an anonymity layer to Google services that are difficult to live without such as push notifications and access to Play Store applications

Additional benefits for a Smartphone user on /e/OS

  • App Lounge offers the full catalog of Play Store applications, open source applications at F-droid and Progressive Web Apps
  • Advanced Privacy lets users know about the number of trackers triggered by mobile applications, and cut them. It also adds IP-masking and Geo location-faking features out of the box
  • Offers a privacy-safe search engine

Conclusion

deGoogling is about making users’ digital life safer. /e/OS with its deGoogled codebase, default applications and unique features, protects users’ smartphones from permanent data collection and surveillance, while ensuring an extremely high level of usability.

What is the current state of De-googlization on /e/OS ?

For a detailed response please go through the document given here

Does /e/OS check for “unwanted” code before loading ?

Please note, we do not check for any unwanted code loading before the /e/OS on any of the devices we support.

The reason is very simple. /e/OS’s primary focus is deGoogling and improving Privacy related to the industrial collection of personal data by big tech firms.

To further elaborate the point, /e/OS is not intended for users with strong security needs.

Here we mean people who can be targeted by organizations like Governments, intelligence agencies, criminal organizations etc. We believe such people should not be using /e/OS expecting it would protect them from this extra high-level of scrutiny. There are other alternative Operating Systems which focus on such aspects and may be better suited for such users.

The most serious “real life” security issue for regular /e/OS users would be a scenario where the device is stolen or is lost.

That is why we encourage our users to implement the encryption mode on their device.

We are thinking about introducing a way by which /e/OS users can safely do a complete device wipe from their user account at murena.io.

At /e/OS we are always interested in improving the product. At the same time we also have to keep our efforts focused given the small size of our development team.

We welcome community contributors who can help us enhance security aspects of the /e/OS.

If you think you can help us with this send us your details on this contact form

How does Google collect my data. Has stock LineageOS removed all closed-source or user telemetry gathering components

A recent study conducted by Prof. Doug Leith at Trinity College Dublin along with Dr. Paul Patras and Haoyu Liu at the University of Edinburgh examined the data sent by six variants of the Android OS developed by Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, Realme, LineageOS and /e/OS. Among the findings of this study is this relevant statement..”With the exception of e/OS, all of the handset manufacturers examined collect a list of all the apps installed on a handset. This is potentially sensitive information since it can reveal user interests..”

The complete report is available for review here

Some other reports that discuss this subject are linked here

How is /e/OS different from MicroG or LOS

As you may be aware MicroG and LOS also provide distributions with local emulation of service API achieved by network strength triangulation.

To understand how /e/OS is different please read these documents:

Is an Apple phone a safe option for a privacy conscious person ?

  • iPhone uses Google as a search engine. Ideally they should drop Google search for a more pro-privacy search engine - a meta-search engine like Qwant or DuckDuckGo. Due to this dependency on Google search their phones give away a lot of personal data. 6 MB per day to be precise read more

  • This Apple - Google deal is a $12 billion per year deal. This does not work in the advantage

  • Last but not least, Apple claims that they are acting in favor of privacy. That is claimed privacy. /e/OS supports auditable privacy by being open source.

Can you explain the pings from /e/OS when a user sets up the device?

For details please check the detailed response here