I installed NetGuard about a month ago and blocked all internet to apps, unless they're on a whitelist. No notifications from this particular system app (that can't be disabled) until recently when it started making internet connection requests to google servers. Does anyone know when this became a thing?...
Unfortunately the ACCC gives fewer fucks than you may expect. An airline once cancelled a flight on me and kept the cancellation fee, despite producing no evidence that any government had forced them to cancel the flight (this was during COVID).
ACCC did not care one bit
So while we do have some consumer protection (better than most) I would be surprised if they cared.
I am at such a loss, because I can see it in NetGuard, and open it's app details from there, but it doesn't work even appear in system apps in Shelter.
Not what it says on the google Playstore listing, but yes it's possible. Considering the connection requests are seemingly for other google APIs. It's possible NetGuard is flagging the requests to this app incorrectly. (It can't distinguish being MS office apps either, so it lumps them together, for example)
Doesn't change the fact the app is installed though, on a phone I own outright, and it's purposes as claimed by google are gross (in my opinion).
This may be the case, as I also have a work profile set up via Shelter.
Weird that it's installed in GrapheneOS also though.
In any case, even if setting up a work profile, it should just not be installed.
A potential backdoor as a ransomware exploit for anyone who has a work profile on their phone, I would guess. Unless there are other apps bundled with android that also lock you out of your phone.
Check your installed apps (I left an edit in th post where to check). Just because it's not listen in the Playstore for Australia, doesn't mean it's not installed.
I'm of the strong opinion that this ought not to be a thing. Even if you stop paying rent, they can kick you out, but there's a process they need to follow (in Australia anyway).
These software locks means they can do whatever they want, even if they're in the wrong, and then you're shit out of luck until you can take them to court, if you even have the time to do it...
It's so wrong, because of the power imbalance I really think this kind of thing should be railed against at all costs.
Google should not install this shit by default, and sneakily as well.
Only somewhat. I think I should be able to figure the ADB terminal out as I've used it before (on training wheels following instructions).
Yeah overall I'm not too worried for me personally since I have it blocked behind a firewall.
It's more than google has this installed for many more devices than it should be, and the purpose of it in general.
Makes my blood boil, with how far corporate overreach has come.
They should NOT be allowed to enable extrajudicial enforcement like this. The world worked just fine before this. People had property repossessed, just there's a legal process to take. And a third party (the judicial system) decided whether to allow enforcement, not the creditor themselves.
Imagine you miss one phone payment (your card expires or something) and then you can't access you phone, the primary device for most people to manage their digital lives. They'll just be fucked, and it'll be the most vulnerable in society who suffer.
It's so wrong.
I think it's much preferable that some bad apples just don't pay and the creditor loses some money, than vulnerable people get their lives fucked over because they missed a single payment.
Good to hear! And thanks for providing this data point. I may get around to doing a survey, and trying to rope in some people who know their way around android development to see what's going on here.
Apparently this included on some phones running GrapheneOS according to some other commenters.
I agree with your sentiment, but think we need to urge our governments to regulate the ever-loving god our of these companies.
It's getting more out of hand, and I don't think we should just resign ourselves.
Flashing GrapheneOS is not an option for the vast majority of people due to barriers to entry, and potentially essential banking apps not playing nicely.
It's not "available" in the Australian Playstore either, whether it's installed so far seems to be how old your phone is (rough feeling based on comments). Not yet clear what the pattern is.
As always, the paying user has the worst experience. “Purchase” a show, can only watch on a certain console of a certain brand, no transfers, no backups, then it suddenly disappears from the library and nothing can be done....
As someone starting out their career in a technical field, I would LOVE to be in the office more if more people from the projects I’m working on were regularly there, but it’s just not feasible to require it.
Capitalism leaves us with barely any time to live, and so much time has been clawed back from WFH.
No way I’m advocating it to be mandatory to come into the office more than a single day a week.
Google Allows Creditors to Brick Your Phone ( lemmy.world )
I installed NetGuard about a month ago and blocked all internet to apps, unless they're on a whitelist. No notifications from this particular system app (that can't be disabled) until recently when it started making internet connection requests to google servers. Does anyone know when this became a thing?...
‘You didn’t just succeed, you Exceled’: Sydney man dubbed the ‘Annihilator’ wins spreadsheet world championship ( www.theguardian.com )
Sony is going to remove certain purchased titles from user libraries ( www.playstation.com )
As always, the paying user has the worst experience. “Purchase” a show, can only watch on a certain console of a certain brand, no transfers, no backups, then it suddenly disappears from the library and nothing can be done....
End of an era: Zoom tells employees to return to office for work ( nypost.com )
I guess this could just as easily be posted in an anti-work community