this post was submitted on 30 Nov 2025
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[–] Grandwolf319@sh.itjust.works 66 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I said it before and I’ll say it again, among all tech companies, Apple is the closest to the nazi mindset.

[–] muusemuuse@sh.itjust.works 55 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (11 children)

Google has decided you cannot turn off Gemini in their newer versions of Android. You cannot install other roms that do either, Google is killing those too. But yea, Apple is the bad guy. Ignore the Google rug pull.

[–] BreadstickNinja@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago

Wasn't it also just reported a few weeks ago that Samsung installs Israeli spyware on android devices sold in MENA?

https://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-appcloud-spyware-controversy-3616325/

[–] biggeoff@sh.itjust.works 18 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Both are the bad guys, not either.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 1 points 1 day ago

Like most things in contemporary society, we are given the choice between two terrible options, and then encouraged to go all in on one of those terrible choices, or you're a LOSER.

Modern life is just Pavlov's lab.

[–] UnspecificGravity 22 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

What roms does Apple let you install on iPhones?

[–] muusemuuse@sh.itjust.works 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Apple never opened that door. Google did, but they never intended to keep it open. it was there to catch up with apple. they never intended to do any good here. it was there to speed up development and win people over, then after they are already there, google can close the door and screw them all. That's what's happening now. It was a bait and switch.

[–] coolmojo@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago

Yep. The attract phase is completed for Android, now on to the extract phase.

[–] Khrux@ttrpg.network 29 points 2 days ago

As much as I don't disagree, I think the "Apple is closest to Nazism" comment touches on something different. Other massive American companies have awful practices but they don't care particularly how their way of making money looks. Apple wields a specific aesthetic power that generally dictates a hegemonic uniformity, that strays the line of being to their detriment at times. I don't think any other big tech company would care in the same way if not for their desire to copy Apple.

[–] Tja@programming.dev 15 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Apple never even tried to allow it, so yeah, Apple IS the bad guy. Google is becomeing it, Apple is the mayor of bad guy town.

[–] _Nico198X_@europe.pub 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] Duamerthrax@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It's like no one remembers the 90's and Microsoft.

Also, IBM literally made computers for the Nazis.

[–] postmateDumbass@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago

To summarize: The bad guys is US

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 7 points 2 days ago (3 children)

I mean it's not just that. Probably not even mostly that. Security is really not great on Android far beyond the AI. I've been running Android for years and probably won't change until Linux with LUKS is a reasonable alternative, But from a hardware level on through to the software, there are so many holes in the OS and ways to access privileged information. Even the top end of the Samsung line is largely rootable at this point, not without concessions, mind you, but as far as an enemy getting a phone and gaining access, or the company itself getting your data even without AI, I'd probably be concerned enough for ANY military org not to allow them to be used.

Apple has a hell of a lot of issues, might even be overly friendly with Israel, but from a security standpoint, it's probably safer for secrets than android at the moment.

I really just want an encrypted portable linux device with a cellular modem. I don't even care if it can SMS or VOLTE, I just need it to run a secure chat client, support Bluetooth headphones and last all day on a charge.

[–] muusemuuse@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 days ago (2 children)

You aren't going to get such a device enabled on the american cellular networks. The duoploy wont allow it. You would have a better chance creating a new network that doesnt need cellular technology. something that behaves more like a cordless phone that uses whatever wifi, packet radio, reticulum node, etc as the base. You wouldn't be able to get a straight phone number without a VoIP subscription but thats also not a terribly big problem as phone numbers are a terrible idea in 2025 anyway. We should have revocable keys exchanged at will that are unique to each contact. Either side can block communications effectively that way at any time and you couldnt just call them from a different number or sell the key to a different scammer or something.

Really, a 5G capable phone running linux isnt a big enough goal. Mobile communications needs a profound shift away from the legacy model.

[–] tym@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

and meanwhile, the american supreme court is ruling on terminating online access due to piracy today. I wonder what they'll rule....

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2025/12/01/daily-briefing-music-piracy-supreme-court-stockton-shooting-world-aids-day/87505607007/

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I can get a data sim card and put it in a laptop right now. It's just an inconvenient form factor.

[–] muusemuuse@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago

Mobile provides can remove it from their end if they feel the device will “harm or degrade performance of their network”. Some American cell phone providers are doing this with Linux phones already.

[–] skaffi 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I really just want an encrypted portable linux device with a cellular modem. I don’t even care if it can SMS or VOLTE, I just need it to run a secure chat client, support Bluetooth headphones and last all day on a charge.

Then you're in luck, because that's something you can already have by now! Just get yourself one of the more recent-ish phones that are well supported by PostmarketOS. The things Linux phones struggle the most with these days, are the more traditional phone-things, such as text messages or calling, which may not be ready for production, as they say (although, both texts and calls have actually worked well for me as of late). But if all you want is a pocket Linux computer/PDA, and intend to carry another phone for calls and texting, that's something you can have, for the grand price of an old, second-hand phone. I've been loving my (LUKS-encrypted) OnePlus 6T, and I do actually use it for calls and texts as well!

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[–] Ricaz@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 days ago (2 children)

What exactly is insecure about running GrapheneOS?

Or even stock OS on a Pixel? Has any of the conspiracies about Google Play Services ever been proven?

[–] muusemuuse@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I mean, Google came out and said what they are going to do. its hardly a conspiracy theory.

[–] Ricaz@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 days ago

What part? The fact that they no longer will be providing Pixel-specific source code?

Who else has been providing the literal OS source code for their devices?

I'm talking about the conspiracy where Google is monitoring your every move, reading all your encrypted messages, and providing backdoors to government entities.

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 day ago

You mean besides the fact that the IDF has been selling ICE software specifically to compromise android phone and now they're forbidding their own forces from using Android...

That's not much of a stretch IMO, but you do you.

[–] titanicx@lemmy.zip 8 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Bullshit. I have it turned off on my pixel 9pro and Samsung s24 plus 

[–] muusemuuse@sh.itjust.works 8 points 2 days ago (13 children)

You actually turned off geminis ability to serve YOU. You never turned off Gemini itself. Google won’t allow that. It’s still running in the background send your data to Google and its advertising partners. Google has publicly stated this is the intended design and they will not allow turning that off.

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[–] bss03 4 points 2 days ago (8 children)

I've lost features that used to work without Gemini, but I believe it is disabled on both my Pixel 7 Pro and the Pixel 8 I have access to.

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[–] InternetCitizen2@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago

Doesn't seem like anyone has ignored Google. They doing it is old news.

[–] Mediocre_Bard@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

This is a completely different thought.

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[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Funnily enough, my new ulefone allowed me to at least completely disable that crap. First one where that is possible. Even the shitty swipe right and you get Google's forced news app, which you could "disable" so that it would show a shitty screen with "please enable Google News!", can be completely disabled. First time in like 10 years on a non custom ROM that I could do this.

[–] muusemuuse@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 days ago

Wha Google is enforcing for a lot of these things, including Gemini, is that you are only allowed to disable direct interaction from the user with the service. So in the case of Gemini, it’s still running in the background and sending out your data to Google and its advertising partners. You just turned off your ability to interact with it yourself.