There is no option for deletion for this app. Its draining my battery, and I read various posts they said that this app spy location and do lot of other stuff. I’m really confused after noticing it and reading such stuff. What should I do, I tried to disable it but it again activates when I restart phone?

  • Melody Fwygon@lemmy.one
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    10 months ago

    and I read various posts they said that this app spy location and do lot of other stuff.

    The source(s) you heard these things from are blatant misinformation. They fail to correctly understand the technology; which is “Federated Learning”. Basically it’s a form of AI training that obscures the data from the operator(s) so that it cannot be read, but the AI can learn from it privately. Bits and pieces of work are assigned to devices to “train” the AI privately, on the device using it’s AI focused hardware. Your device never allows your data to leave the device; even if your data is used to train the AI.

    I tried to disable it but it again activates when I restart phone?

    This is a core system component of Android and you cannot disable it. It is the core function of Android System Intelligence module. The Private Compute Services is what is allowed to read your data; and if you’ve not opted out, can train bits of AI on your data without revealing or sharing that data to anyone. I repeat, your data does not leave the device, it is only used as training material. Yes, that has some privacy implications that they do try to address.

    Please see this comic first: https://federated.withgoogle.com/

    and then feel free to read up on Wikipedia about it to learn more. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federated_learning

    In Android 14, at least on a Pixel, it’s possible to opt out of these functions easily in Settings > Security & Privacy > More Security & Privacy. Similarly this menu can also “forget” everything your device has “learned” locally about your data and habits…which might help you with battery drain issues.

      • MigratingtoLemmy@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        TBH if it was Graphene doing it to improve my battery life and I could audit the ACLs set up so I can confirm that it doesn’t leave the device, then I’d keep it switched on. Of course, I’d want to data to be deleted on a schedule with just the inferences maintained and want it locked down and encrypted as much as possible.

        • Tangent5280@lemmy.world
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          10 months ago

          The underlying sentiment is that I don’t want someone to profit from my data without fair recompense and far more importantly, WITHOUT MY CONSENT. Everything else is fluff.

      • Melody Fwygon@lemmy.one
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        10 months ago

        That is a valid stance and feeling to have; and you can in fact turn off and opt out of the AI features in Android to reduce the issue to a non-issue.

  • TheAnonymouseJoker@lemmy.ml
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    10 months ago

    A simple way to deal with it is finding its package name using either internet or App Manager from F-Droid, and using ADB on a computer with USB debugging on, using this command:

    adb shell pm disable-user <PACKAGENAME>

    Packages disabled using ADB cannot be enabled without manual user confirmation or via IPC between apps.

    Enjoy this hack!

    Note: the “disable” App Info button lacks the advantages I mentioned above and is almost useless for some of these system packages.

  • Pantherina@feddit.de
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    10 months ago

    Dude there is a big “Disable” button just press it.

    No idea what that is, but if its a system app you cant safely uninstall it (may risk breaking OTA updates)

  • Dessalines@lemmy.ml
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    10 months ago

    It’s some extremely shady google spyware that seems impossible to remove if you use google services.