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People Ask Why Some Root Their Device and For Me This is Why (lemmy.world)

submitted 3 weeks ago by alkaliv2@lemmy.world to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

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I am a Tasker enthusiast and when I can automate something simple on my phone I like to. I set a simple task to turn off WiFi when my home network is not detected so my phone doesn't scan and report my location to businesses. However, this functionality is now nonexistent and the developer has to ask people not to one-star their app because it doesn't work. My phone is my phone and killing my ability to use it as such for whatever security theater Google is playing at is why I root my device. Anyone else still rooting for similar reasons?

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[–] lemann@lemmy.dbzer0.com 110 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I'm rooted to...

backup & restore my apps as I please (as well as scheduled backups to my SD card)
BMS control to keep my battery in good health
Automation app for automating stuff (like Tasker)
revoking typically unrevokable permissions from system and Google apps
To actually feel like I own my device.

If I wanted a heavily curated (and somewhat locked down) experience, I'd be in the Apple ecosystem - don't know why Google thinks it's a great idea to force this ideology onto practically all Android users...

Similar situation with that additional warning for sideloading apps - there's already two warnings and Play Protect typically uninstalls these apps anyway, without the user's consent - in one case deleting KDE Connect from users' devices if installed with F-Droid

Uhh I definitely went off on a tangent, oops.

[–] Chakravanti@lemmy.ml 57 points 3 weeks ago

I'm rooting to...

Remove Google

[–] Peffse@lemmy.world 40 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I went into a near seething rage when I found out Android 12 let OEMs decide bloatware was completely immune to ADB disable commands. root's the only method to get to the non-disable xml files and remove that "functionality".

[–] goferking0@lemmy.sdf.org 27 points 3 weeks ago

Then 12 or 13 also made it so there's no way to access android/data.

Ffs I want to be able to backup app data that doesn't get backed up any other way

[–] nobleshift@lemmy.world 73 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

BECAUSE I FUCKING OWN YOU (me to the phone)

[–] thegreekgeek@midwest.social 59 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah Google can play a little game of hide-and-go-fuck-themselves.

[–] lone_faerie@lemmy.blahaj.zone 45 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Tasker is the reason Android is so much better than iOS

[–] LodeMike@lemmy.today 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It requires Google play

[–] baatliwala@lemmy.world 36 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

Tasker? It's provided an alternative for several years, it is literally the only paid app I know which does this.

[–] LodeMike@lemmy.today 9 points 3 weeks ago

Oh wow

[–] exu@feditown.com 6 points 3 weeks ago

I know of FairEmail, Niagara Launcher, FolderSync and Symfonium (if you DM the dev) which offer alternate payment methods.

[–] SanctimoniousApe@lemmings.world 43 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

So, PinePhone is gonna be a mature project... when? Can't be soon enough.

[–] iturnedintoanewt@lemm.ee 20 points 3 weeks ago

Never... Pine kinda throws you the thing completely half assed for the people to build the whole stack. It's a really slow process.

[–] autonomoususer@lemmy.world 38 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

My computer has root. My phone must too.

[–] Valon_Blue@sh.itjust.works 36 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

And now, even when your WiFi is off they still turn it on to "help with location tracking." And they're talking about taking away the ability to turn Bluetooth off.

[–] PsychedSy@lemmy.dbzer0.com 34 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

I like being able to use my banking app. I do miss having proper control, though.

[–] aquafunk@lemmy.sdf.org 28 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

shoutout to USAA banking app that detected my root, but just showed a warning and allowed me to continue. that's how it ahould be imho

[–] FierySpectre@lemmy.world 26 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Big fuck you to the Belgian govt who detected my developer settings being on and blocked their app from working...

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[–] FuCensorship@lemmy.today 14 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

Magisk zygisk won't work for you?

[–] PsychedSy@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 3 weeks ago

It's been a while since I've rooted. I'll look into it. Thanks for the direction.

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[–] autonomoususer@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

github.com/daboynb/PlayIntegrityNEXT

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[–] Ok_imagination@lemmy.world 33 points 3 weeks ago

I've considered it for similar reasons to your own. I like using Tasker for Bluetooth and it seems most of that compatibility is removed now as well.

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 30 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

blocking ads. fuck ads.

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 27 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Your phone isn't your phone as long as you run either google or apple software...

[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 19 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Joke's on them my phone's a Huawei and reports directly to the CCCP.

Oh, wait...

[–] InternetCitizen2@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Sometimes I do wonder as a morbid curiosity if using their software could have a privacy benefit. Not to imply that they wouldn't spy, just that they have less ability to act on the information. Like the report of a mother discussing an abortion with her teen daughter on messenger were Meta turned over the chats.

Also as a snide comment the CCCP is the Soviet Union, which is defunct now. One less C and you might improve your standing and get a television.

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[–] asexualchangeling@lemmy.ml 23 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

Part of me wishes my Samsung note 20 would die already so I could replace it with something cheaper, less powerful, but that I actually can do what I want with, I'm never getting a phone I can't root ever again

The issue is I only want it if it also has expandable storage, so many modern phones suck

[–] Sauerkraut@discuss.tchncs.de 8 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Same. Here. I have a s21, but it is frustrating how little control I have over the device. Garbage apps like chrome are taking up a huge chunk of my storage space, but my phone won't let me uninstall them.

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[–] booly@sh.itjust.works 21 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I set a simple task to turn off WiFi when my home network is not detected so my phone doesn't scan and report my location to businesses.

I was under the impression that BSSID scanning was entirely passive, and that a phone that scans for beacons doesn't actually reveal itself to anyone.

[–] alkaliv2@lemmy.world 22 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It was in response to the Naomi Brockwell post she did on Twitter about businesses using WiFi, Bluetooth and Location Services to track you in public locations. You can Google it directly "NBTV Advice from Defcon" or this link: https://nbtv.substack.com/p/advice-from-defcon-turn-off-bluetooth

[–] booly@sh.itjust.works 12 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I get how it works with wifi connections, and Bluetooth scanning (since that's a peer to peer protocol that needs to broadcast its availability), and obviously the OS-level location services, but I'm still not seeing how seeing wifi beacons would reveal anything. For one, pretty much every mobile device OS now uses MAC randomization so that your wifi activity on one network can't be correlated with another. And for another, I think the BSSID scanning protocol is listen only for client devices.

Happy to be proven wrong, and to learn more, but the article linked doesn't seem to explain anything on this particular supposed threat.

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[–] plz1@lemmy.world 12 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

How does it detect your home wifi if it has turned off wifi? I don't know Android, but the logic there seems odd. Are you using location services to drive it?

[–] Shepy@feddit.uk 18 points 3 weeks ago (12 children)

You've misread that. When he leaves his home network, he has it switch off wifi to prevent it being picked up by other networks. Probably has it being switched back on by cell tower / similar location option

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[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 10 points 3 weeks ago

I just want to enable adb over tcpip 5555 at boot.It is simply impossible on my device and I cannot disable bootloader lock.

[–] beSyl@slrpnk.net 10 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I use macrodroid instead, though I have also paid for Tasker.

I just find macrodroid much easier to use. I learned to use Tasker, then was not using it for a few months, went back to it to implement something and god damm, what a horrible UI. I had forgotten how to use it. Decided to try macrodroid and it is just so beautiful and easy..

[–] JameUwU@lemmy.ml 9 points 3 weeks ago

This feature comes without Root on CalyxOS :p

[–] toototabon@lemmy.ml 8 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

ELI5 how can i root my device?

[–] steinwand@lemmy.world 28 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (3 children)

Rooting a device is a process that depends on the phone and manufacturer. On some devices it is flat out impossible, on other it is trivial (those tend to be increasingly rare). The steps usually go something like this

Put your phone in developer mode
Unlock the bootloader (that's the part that is manufacturer/phone dependent)
Use fastboot to install a replacement bootloader (I used TWRP in the past, now I use Orangefox)
Once you have a good bootloader, youll be able to install apps from outside Android. This will enable you to give those specific app root access.
Install Magisk or superSu or whatever app that gives you root access once booted back in android.

Keep in mind that you can 100% brick your phone doing this and that it'll most likely void your warranty. Do not root your device following this post alone. I tried to answer an ELI5, not a Teach Me How To Do It Like I'm 5.

More information:

bootloader : that's like the BIOS of your phone. It's software that is used right before your OS (android) launches
fastboot : that's a mode you can set your phone in that will enable you to run commands via a computer to which your phone is plugged by usb. You can upload custom code to it this way (such as a replacement bootloader)
https://orangefox.download/

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[–] kratoz29@lemm.ee 7 points 3 weeks ago (7 children)

TIL Tasker even worked without root lol.

Also, why do we even need tasker to do that? iOS allows you to do that with its Shortcuts app lol, this is a weird moment when Android is becoming more closed and iOS open (in system wide features).

Well, that is why I chuckle when people say there is no reason to root nowadays... Heck, not even banking apps will prevent me from rooting my phone, and my next android purchases are gonna be based in whether it can be rooted or not.

[–] COASTER1921@lemmy.ml 6 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

It barely works for Android 14+ without root. Macrodroid has much better compatibility for whatever reason.

Unfortunately rooting while passing safetynet verification is very hard or impossible lately depending on the device. If apps didn't unnecessarily check safetynet status this wouldn't be a problem, but since so many now the rooted phone effectively becomes a brick. I really miss the days of custom ROMs and full device automation without stupid workarounds. Unfortunately, I don't think there's any going back without app developers getting on board with an alternative to Google-verified security on Android.

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[–] zerozaku@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago

I am a root user, yes but I only use it for migrate, a custom rom backup & restore tool.

Coming to Tasker, I tried so hard to figure it out but couldn't do it for my use case of having custom gestures. I like to have profiles depending on whether I am home or outside, will give it one more shot for this.

[–] autonomoususer@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Tasker is anti-libre software. We do not control it. It fails to include a libre software license text file, like AGPL.

[–] randomcruft@lemmy.sdf.org 12 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Serious question, what would be a recommended alternative?

[–] somerandomname@lemmy.ml 6 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Not as powerful as Tasker, but for some basic automation tasks PhoneProfilesPlus is a good alternative.

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