I’m planning on flashing LineageOS on my phone to debloat and to degoogle, and additionally to increase overall privacy but apparently from what I’ve heard here that it’s not private enough or even at all?
I know about it being less secure because of the opened bootloader and the higher chances of you rooting to achieve what you want with a degoogled phone, but beyond that (especially privacy-wise) I don’t know anything.
I’ve seen a video on how to degoogle it further, but surely it isn’t all I need to do.
I need some education.
Unfortunately my phone is so obscure that it isn’t supported by literally anything, but fortunately there’s an unofficial port of LineageOS I found on Telegram, and that’s the one I’ll be using. So if you’re thinking of suggesting another custom ROM, you’re out of luck. Also you can’t make me buy a Pixel - that thing ain’t supported in my country (5G and others) and it’s hella expensive as well.
Keep your existing phone and OS.
Use it differently. Decide what information you store on it, which applications you install or disable, what permissions you grant and what services you use.
Just installing an OS to “debloat and degoogle” is not ever going to change anything unless you change your habits and you don’t need to change OS to do that.
I’ve seen articles talking about how Android will continue to perform functions you specifically tell it not to. How do you fix that by changing your habits?
It does make a difference. One amazing feature of GrapheneOS is the ability to block apps from accessing the internet. That alone makes it much harder for such apps to harm your privacy unless they also malicious.
OP was talking about Lineage, not Graphene.
If an app doesn’t have data it cannot share it.
If you don’t install the app, it cannot breach your privacy.
You don’t need direct internet access to leak information, for example, an app with access to your calendar has indirect internet access.
And what exactly do you use the phone for?
It sounds like you’re saying all you need to do to prevent abuse of your device is to not use the device. It can’t spy on you if you leave it on the store shelf either.
Yes, but you said don’t change your OS in general.
True, but that is something stock Android does let you control.
Constantly fighting the OS is always worse than replacing it.