- Oct 9, 2016
- 6,134
Going for the new Samsung S23 Ultra soon. I'm getting sick of trackers by Google, MS and others. If you want to block trackers you can use apps like Adguard for android, BlackFog Privacy, Blokada, TrackerControl etc. However, they create a virtual VPN (similarly for firewall app etc) which prohibits the use of a dedicated VPN app. So using those aforementioned apps is not the way to go since I'll be using an 'Always-On' VPN. And blocking trackers completely might affect the app's performance and, in the worst case, your phone as well.
The only best way I can see is the use of installed apps with no trackers. To prevent pre-installed apps from tracking you'll need to TOTALLY REMOVE them from your phone like using ADB and Fastboot. Simply forcing the pre-installed apps to stop or uninstalling them might not prevent them from tracking you, for they still have remnant files left behind.
So far, I use ClassyShark3xodus/Exodus to analyze the following apps. Note that no trackers now do NOT imply future app version(s) do NOT have trackers as well. For better privacy, one also needs to consider where it's based, browser extensions which connect to Google, whether supporting app to the main app has trackers, number of permissions needed, needs your phone number for the app etc
1) VPN.ac
2) IVPN
3) Mullvad VPN
4) AdGuard VPN
5) Calyx VPN
6) APKGrabber
7) ClassyShark3xodus
8) Exodus
9) TrackerControl
10) Device Info HW
11) LibreAV
12) LibreTube
13) F-Droid
14) VLC
15) Blokada 5
16) Blokada 6
17) Sticky Password Manager
18) BitWarden Password Manager (F-Droid) (based in USA)
19) Kiwi Browser (but adding extensions from Google Play Store will connect to Google)
20) Bromite Browser
21) Lock Screen
22) Total Commander
23) ZArchiver
24) Anti Spy Mobile Pro
25) NetGuard
26) DNS66
27) Aegis Authenticator
28) Authenticator Pro
29) Signal (based in USA)
30) Sync.com (based in Canada)
31) Tresorit (based in Switzerland)
32) Koofr Cloud Storage (based in Slovenia). However, the RCX-Rclone android app for Koofr Vault management has trackers
33) Cryptomator
34) ExpressVPN. Has trackers but it has an option to turn off sending of diagnostic data, crash reports etc
35) Yubico Authenticator
If you do have other apps of interest (without trackers) please do add here.
EDIT:- Removed andOTP Authenticator as developer is not maintaining and updating it
The only best way I can see is the use of installed apps with no trackers. To prevent pre-installed apps from tracking you'll need to TOTALLY REMOVE them from your phone like using ADB and Fastboot. Simply forcing the pre-installed apps to stop or uninstalling them might not prevent them from tracking you, for they still have remnant files left behind.
So far, I use ClassyShark3xodus/Exodus to analyze the following apps. Note that no trackers now do NOT imply future app version(s) do NOT have trackers as well. For better privacy, one also needs to consider where it's based, browser extensions which connect to Google, whether supporting app to the main app has trackers, number of permissions needed, needs your phone number for the app etc
1) VPN.ac
2) IVPN
3) Mullvad VPN
4) AdGuard VPN
5) Calyx VPN
6) APKGrabber
7) ClassyShark3xodus
8) Exodus
9) TrackerControl
10) Device Info HW
11) LibreAV
12) LibreTube
13) F-Droid
14) VLC
15) Blokada 5
16) Blokada 6
17) Sticky Password Manager
18) BitWarden Password Manager (F-Droid) (based in USA)
19) Kiwi Browser (but adding extensions from Google Play Store will connect to Google)
20) Bromite Browser
21) Lock Screen
22) Total Commander
23) ZArchiver
24) Anti Spy Mobile Pro
25) NetGuard
26) DNS66
27) Aegis Authenticator
28) Authenticator Pro
29) Signal (based in USA)
30) Sync.com (based in Canada)
31) Tresorit (based in Switzerland)
32) Koofr Cloud Storage (based in Slovenia). However, the RCX-Rclone android app for Koofr Vault management has trackers
33) Cryptomator
34) ExpressVPN. Has trackers but it has an option to turn off sending of diagnostic data, crash reports etc
35) Yubico Authenticator
If you do have other apps of interest (without trackers) please do add here.
EDIT:- Removed andOTP Authenticator as developer is not maintaining and updating it
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