3d ago

Should I Disable Google Play Services for Better Privacy?

I'm considering whether I should uninstall updates and disable Google Play Services and Google Framework Services on my bloated phone to enhance my privacy. Is it worth doing this?

Is Google Play Services merely a service or library that other apps rely on, or does it function more like spyware? What are the implications of disabling these services for my device's functionality and overall user experience?

8 comments

Ideally, yes, you absolutely should. When doing this, you should expect to lose notifications from the vast majority of apps. And some apps will refuse to run such as Uber and Lyft. The notifications bit can somewhat be worked around by using "ntfy" from fdroid. mind you that only works for a few apps that support unified push but it's better than nothing

I am not an expert.
Many many apps rely on google play services to function, basically for most of the data fetching, push notifications, authentications, etc. Disabling it will break those apps as a result. Since your data is fed through those services you cannot maintain privacy from google without doing so.
So yes, you should disable google play for privacy, but you will need to find replacement apps in many cases.
Graphene does a thing where it "sandboxes" google play services, preventing it from grabbing unnecessary data like your real time location telemetry. I think this lets you use those apps that need it, but they will still get some of your data where thats being used. Banking apps are notorious for needing it for authentication, but you can easily use a different map app like magic earth to avoid google services for other needs.
I'm still exploring this and learning so those are just examples I know of. Not sure how much else this will break if you aren't using graphene to manage it.
I am wary of ever recommending to completely block or avoid updates. Generally this means opening yourself up to security concerns.
- With banking apps - it actually depends. I found out that in my country, most banks' apps (like, all the big ones except for one) don't require Google services, since requiring them would cut off a lot of users with Chinaphones (Huawei being the biggest example). The NFC payments in them are also their own implementation, independent from the Google one.
  However, in case of at least one bank, the apk download link was hidden behind some dark patterns (ironically, less hidden than Signal's apk, lol), trying to instead direct people onto the national app store.
  
  I lucked out and my banking app is fine too. Weirdly its the wifi garage door opener which came with my house that refuses to work. I took it offline and am back to a remote now. I may replace it someday when I finally get home assistant going.

Ideally, yeah, you should. It's a privacy shitshow.
The question is, will it break some of your apps and do you have an alternative? My first go to is always microG that spoofs google play services for apps that (think/claim they) need it to run.
Usually, installing microG requires 1) that you're able to install system apps. You can probably do that if you can uninstall google services. Or, 2) that you can flash a custom ROM on your device — I know of a few ROMs that come with microG baked in:
LineageOS for microG
CalyxOS
iodéOS
/e/os
OmniROM
Unfortunately, not all devices can be rooted or bootloader unlocked — thanks manufacturers! — so depending on your make and model you may be SOL in terms of that kind of control over your phone.

If you are worried about your privacy, yes, you must get rid of Google Play Services. However a majors part of your apps may be broken as too much rely on this services and only in those services.
If you want apps to based on this layer of Google mess, have a look on some open spruce alternatives of your favorite apps. Maybe some of them won’t embed Google Play Services. But keep in mind you may lose some features like notifications from Google devices or fine tunes location.
You can have a look on microG or Open GApps for alternatives. However you may need to hack your device to flash them.
What you can do, for example:
check if you can flash alternatives (possible to root and before unlock the boot loader)
maybe check if you can flash another ROM ; projects list the compatible devices. Have a look on LineageOS, GrapheneOS or also /e/OS

Google play services and Google play store are both a nasty spyware package that has root level access to your system. This is how Google is able to get all the data it wants off your massarket device.
I am not sure what google freamework services does tbh though
If you can go without it that's what you should be doing if you give any fucks about privacy. The issue is as the comment mentioned is your apps. That's a personal decision. This is a long journey but you are asking the right questions.
Removing all the trash apps to reduce exposure would be easier first step if you ate not doing that already.
Properly configured FF based browser.

It won't hurt to try disabling both of them! Watch for non-functional notifications, make sure the most crucial apps in your arsenal work, see what happens.

8 comments