If you’re going to use WhatsApp ( and not Signal 😮💨 ), at least use it in a separate profile ( using Shelter ) so it doesn’t scan your contacts ( and probably everything else )
In Android operating system, work profiles can be enabled using Android’s Admin panel ( I think that’s what they call it ), which requires a Google account, in a degoogled Android, we use Shelter which can enable the Work profile, apps in work profiles are isolated/separated from the main one, and they don’t have access to your main profile’s data, unless you allow it, you can also freeze apps when you lock your phone, ( apps like … Ahhm excuse me, I mean SPYWARE like Facebook, Tiktok keeps running in the background sending data and that might be a useful for that )
In CalyxOS you can set the VPN ( ProtonVPN ) to route all your traffic ( including the work profile ) thru the VPN tunnel, giving you extra layer of protection. ( I don’t know if it’s possible on LineageOS )
Personally I won’t take the risk of using Big tech apps from Meta, especially Meta,Tiktok and Google even in the work profile, I consider these apps to be spyware, and what spyware does is bypassing your guards and firewalls, working in mysterious ways ( proprietary Software ), and finally gathering as much info as possible from the infected device ( in the background off course )
Thanks may have to try shelter since the camera thing has been an issue on insular and caused me to put ABSOLUTELY PROPREITARY apps on my main profile lol
In CalyxOS you can set the VPN ( ProtonVPN ) to route all your traffic ( including the work profile ) thru the VPN tunnel, giving you extra layer of protection. ( I don’t know if it’s possible on LineageOS )
This is common in Stock Android OS, creating Work profiles using Shelter is painful, I think due to the vendor unecessary twearks and additions which may look and feel good but increase the attack surface, and judging by all the crashes it indicates poorly written code
From Shelter’s repo
Shelter is only as safe as the Work Profile implementation of the Android OS you are using
As for VPNs I’m not sure why wouldn’t they work, g73 has Android 13 or 14, see what kind of error message you’re getting and look it up, maybe ask here or on XDA developers forum
“Either VPN permission missing, or another app is in always on VPN mode”. I searched settings for VPN and found an app called “VPN dialogs” and something about VPN certificatea
Your phone has a feature called Work Profile that can be used to isolate your personal and work apps from each other. Normally you need to sign in to a company-specified app like Microsoft Company Portal to activate Work Profile, but Shelter is a simple, open-source app that will do it instead.
Is this necessary if I avoid Meta products entirely and already use DDG app tracking protection for everything else? Regardless, I can’t find “Shelter” on the Play Store anyway.
It depends on your threat model, your priorities and needs…
tracking can take so many forms, it can be done in so many ways, apps you install on your phone has built in trackers, and the apps themselves can be used to spy on you, so if you trust a service enough to install their app on your phone, you shouldn’t be worried about their trackers, but if they’re trustworthy, why would they build trackers into their apps in the first place?
I’m saying this because there is no one solution for the surveillance evil tech, ( well, there is and that’s if you stop using it, but even then they’ll keep stalking you with pixel trackers and cookies… Etc etc… ), but don’t get me wrong, these tools ( like DDG protection and Shelter ) they do work, and they do some damage ( to the surveillance tech giants ), but if you’re finding yourself using them, maybe it’s time to look for alternatives, and when you can’t find an alternative for a particular service, and that service Is only available via an app, use it in Shelter away from your main profile that has your life in it
Shelter isn’t available on the play store because it’s a privacy tool, made by a privacy minded individual who dont wanna pay google ( not because they’re a cheap person ), but because Google scans your downloads and knows every app you’re using, remember they own the play store, the safest apps you can get are available on Fdroid which hosts many apps that respects your digital rights and doesn’t sell you behind your back.
Just recently discovered shelter, too. I would have gotten it way earlier if I knew. Had to install an app that I knew was too grabby with data (luckily for one-time use) and only found out about shelter researching how to stop it from spying too much.
banking apps are really annoying in this regard, they come with tons of trackers, and often times they use their mobile apps as a Security layer for your account, so you have to install them…
glad to see my banking app works in the work profile and doesn’t require play services ( I dont and never will use a Google or Apple system )
If you’re going to use WhatsApp ( and not Signal 😮💨 ), at least use it in a separate profile ( using Shelter ) so it doesn’t scan your contacts ( and probably everything else )
😹😹😹, awesome, welcome to the club 🍻
Good point, I’m gonna uninstall it. I just waned to show someone that you dont need the playstore to install WhatsApp
What is shelter?
In Android operating system, work profiles can be enabled using Android’s Admin panel ( I think that’s what they call it ), which requires a Google account, in a degoogled Android, we use Shelter which can enable the Work profile, apps in work profiles are isolated/separated from the main one, and they don’t have access to your main profile’s data, unless you allow it, you can also freeze apps when you lock your phone, ( apps like … Ahhm excuse me, I mean SPYWARE like Facebook, Tiktok keeps running in the background sending data and that might be a useful for that )
In CalyxOS you can set the VPN ( ProtonVPN ) to route all your traffic ( including the work profile ) thru the VPN tunnel, giving you extra layer of protection. ( I don’t know if it’s possible on LineageOS )
Personally I won’t take the risk of using Big tech apps from Meta, especially Meta,Tiktok and Google even in the work profile, I consider these apps to be spyware, and what spyware does is bypassing your guards and firewalls, working in mysterious ways ( proprietary Software ), and finally gathering as much info as possible from the infected device ( in the background off course )
Alternative with the same option is “island”
Shelter is FOSS, and I think is just a better app at this point.
No disrespect to Island, it works and it’s free, but I do think Shelter is preferable.
I’ve been using insular which is basically the foss version of island
Feature comparison chart between the three:
https://secure-system.gitlab.io/Insular/faq.html
Thanks may have to try shelter since the camera thing has been an issue on insular and caused me to put ABSOLUTELY PROPREITARY apps on my main profile lol
Yes, I meant the fork INSULAR.
Yes with the Netguard app (on fdroid) https://netguard.me/
Netguard is a firewall app, it doesn’t route traffic it blocks, afaik
Neither VPNs or work profiles work with my Motorola g73, I keep getting error messages
This is common in Stock Android OS, creating Work profiles using Shelter is painful, I think due to the vendor unecessary twearks and additions which may look and feel good but increase the attack surface, and judging by all the crashes it indicates poorly written code
From Shelter’s repo
As for VPNs I’m not sure why wouldn’t they work, g73 has Android 13 or 14, see what kind of error message you’re getting and look it up, maybe ask here or on XDA developers forum
“Either VPN permission missing, or another app is in always on VPN mode”. I searched settings for VPN and found an app called “VPN dialogs” and something about VPN certificatea
Your phone has a feature called Work Profile that can be used to isolate your personal and work apps from each other. Normally you need to sign in to a company-specified app like Microsoft Company Portal to activate Work Profile, but Shelter is a simple, open-source app that will do it instead.
Think of as virtualized/segmented user space. You can install apps within in, and they are ONLY allowed access to the data within the work profile.
With Shelter you can set apps to automatically freeze as well, so that when they aren’t in use, they can’t do anything else.
Is this necessary if I avoid Meta products entirely and already use DDG app tracking protection for everything else? Regardless, I can’t find “Shelter” on the Play Store anyway.
It depends on your threat model, your priorities and needs…
tracking can take so many forms, it can be done in so many ways, apps you install on your phone has built in trackers, and the apps themselves can be used to spy on you, so if you trust a service enough to install their app on your phone, you shouldn’t be worried about their trackers, but if they’re trustworthy, why would they build trackers into their apps in the first place?
Here’s an example : Reddit Vs Voyager ( a Lemmy Client )
I’m saying this because there is no one solution for the surveillance evil tech, ( well, there is and that’s if you stop using it, but even then they’ll keep stalking you with pixel trackers and cookies… Etc etc… ), but don’t get me wrong, these tools ( like DDG protection and Shelter ) they do work, and they do some damage ( to the surveillance tech giants ), but if you’re finding yourself using them, maybe it’s time to look for alternatives, and when you can’t find an alternative for a particular service, and that service Is only available via an app, use it in Shelter away from your main profile that has your life in it
Shelter isn’t available on the play store because it’s a privacy tool, made by a privacy minded individual who dont wanna pay google ( not because they’re a cheap person ), but because Google scans your downloads and knows every app you’re using, remember they own the play store, the safest apps you can get are available on Fdroid which hosts many apps that respects your digital rights and doesn’t sell you behind your back.
Just recently discovered shelter, too. I would have gotten it way earlier if I knew. Had to install an app that I knew was too grabby with data (luckily for one-time use) and only found out about shelter researching how to stop it from spying too much.
banking apps are really annoying in this regard, they come with tons of trackers, and often times they use their mobile apps as a Security layer for your account, so you have to install them…
glad to see my banking app works in the work profile and doesn’t require play services ( I dont and never will use a Google or Apple system )