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People are noticing that their phones are getting an app called "Android System Safetycore" auto-installed without notice or consent. Check your phone for the same, it is likely it's a slow rollout instead of every device getting it installed all at the same time.

Google has all the same old reasons that they drone on about, but the actual reason is likely to harvest your messages data for training AI models.

Uninstalling seems to remove the application, and there aren't any malicious activity reported so far as I can see, but naturally that can change anytime.

Has anyone noticed this in their applications lists? Did straight up uninstalling them work? I've had some trouble removing systems apps in the past, but uninstalling this one seems to have worked straightaway - I don't see them in the list anymore.

URLs below for Reddit posts about the same: From 2 months ago: https://old.reddit.com/r/antivirus/comments/1gpdhwz/guys_help_some_app_called_android_system/

From 2 days ago: https://old.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/1idjbdi/googles_new_app_will_help_warn_you_about_nude/

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[-] donuts@lemmy.world 36 points 6 days ago

What use is uninstalling if it was automatically installed to begin with? As in, what's gonna stop them from doing it again?

[-] Tangent5280@lemmy.world 16 points 6 days ago

Good question. Some users say they found the app reinstalling on their devices after they uninstalled. Still good to stay informed.

[-] kekmacska@lemmy.zip 2 points 6 days ago

check it if it reinstalls after updates

[-] Duke_Nukem_1990@feddit.org 21 points 6 days ago
[-] Caboose12000@lemmy.world 4 points 5 days ago

is it compatible with anything besides pixels yet? my phone is a Samsung galaxy something and I can't afford a pixel but I really wanna try gtaphene

[-] wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

You can finance a pixel directly from G - and avoid carrier lock-in, and potentially save hundreds on your bill by not having to get an expensive plan to qualify for carrier financing - at 0% for 36 months.

If you're in the US, all Samsung phones are sold bootloader-locked and it's a real pain in the ass to unlock them, if possible at all.

[-] kekmacska@lemmy.zip 3 points 6 days ago

nearly all custom roms are unaffected

[-] kekmacska@lemmy.zip 6 points 6 days ago

another win for custom rom users (vanilla, pico gapps, core gapps unaffected).

this is an example of Google trying to ruin the best operating system in ever existence. Don't let that. Flash vanilla AOSP today

[-] ohellidk@sh.itjust.works 10 points 6 days ago

Not seeing it on my rooted LineageOS device yet. I'll keep looking out for it, and methods to block installation if it does show up.

[-] kekmacska@lemmy.zip 3 points 6 days ago

it won't. LOS team doesn't include it, as it is a "premium google service" that only stock google pixel and some Samsung phones have

[-] domdanial@reddthat.com 1 points 5 days ago

Not quite right, my Motorola phone had it installed, though it was an "incompatible version"

[-] kekmacska@lemmy.zip 1 points 5 days ago

might be a leftover from an older gapps package, idk if you are using stock moto or lineageos

[-] ohellidk@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 days ago
[-] kekmacska@lemmy.zip 1 points 5 days ago

though you could install it by flashing a full gapps package, but no sane person would do that

[-] vaionko@sopuli.xyz 2 points 5 days ago

Yup, there on my Oneplus. I just wish I could use google pay reliably with a custom rom

[-] Cenzorrll@lemmy.world 9 points 6 days ago

I just found it in my list and uninstalled it, doesn't seem to have affected anything by removing it.

[-] domdanial@reddthat.com 3 points 5 days ago

Stock for now

[-] Maiq@lemy.lol 3 points 5 days ago

The only way I was able to uninstall facebook on my old S9 was through adb. It works for preinstalled bloat probably should work for system apps as well.

adb uninstall package.appname.here

[-] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 5 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

Google already has all of your data. Why would one extra app make a difference? There background service runs as root and sends back all data every few seconds. If you put your device in airplane mode it stores your data to disk before sending it back. Modern Android also has all Google proprietary apps that collect data. That includes everything from messages to calendar

The only way to get privacy is to use something based on AOSP that doesn't have Google services framework.

[-] kekmacska@lemmy.zip 5 points 6 days ago

i agree with the last part but i think "they already have my data it doesn't matter" approach is the worst thought about privacy. It is almost never too late. If you start to care more about privacy, they will get much less amount of data, and the previously collected data becomes outdated, thus not usable to track you

[-] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 1 points 5 days ago

They only way to stop the data collection is to stop using Google services. Google is very intent on gathering as much as possible so you can't just stop the data collection.

[-] kekmacska@lemmy.zip 1 points 5 days ago

only thing i'm using from them is youtube, even that is revanced and with microg

[-] reksas@sopuli.xyz 4 points 6 days ago

rethink helps with googles bullshit too, its opensource firewall program for android. You wouldnt believe how much useless network traffic there is and it drains your battery faster too.

[-] kekmacska@lemmy.zip 1 points 6 days ago

a simple adblocker can do it too, like Adaway

[-] reksas@sopuli.xyz 1 points 6 days ago

i have adaway too but it doesnt have as definite control over the blocking

[-] kekmacska@lemmy.zip 1 points 5 days ago

you can monitor every dns request and block any with a single click

[-] reksas@sopuli.xyz 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

i know, i have it installed too. unfortunately i cant run it at same time with the rethink. but i suggest you take a look at it. It can do some adblocking too by using dns server that blocks them.

[-] kekmacska@lemmy.zip 1 points 5 days ago

i used rethink, it might be good as a simple firewall, but kinda loses its purpose when more advanced apps, like Invizible Pro are aviable as open-source, which provides a complete, advanced network protection, however, for it, you need some pretty good networking knowledge to set up right. It has tor, dnscrypt, i2pd, anti-mitm, firewall integration. It has everything you could wish for in network security. Might not be as beginner friendly though, but a must for privacy advocates and network engineers

[-] reksas@sopuli.xyz 1 points 5 days ago

i actually have invizible pro too. Its superior on every aspect expect firewall, i wish it had same features as i use on the rethink since it cant be ran simultaneously.

What i need is being able to easily see the networklogs for each program and have passive controls like whitelist or blocking of unknown programs without having to manually add them to any list. I have blocked all of the google services since they dont benefit me in anyway and drain battery, but occasionally i need to allow some specific connection to get something to work without allowing everything but invizible has only settings for blocked or allowed and no easily readable logs, unless i'm completely missing some advanced options it has.

[-] kekmacska@lemmy.zip 1 points 5 days ago

adaway can be used simultaneosly and monitors all dns queries if you turn that on

[-] reksas@sopuli.xyz 1 points 5 days ago

yes, but the problem is i have no way of blocking individual ip addresses or domains then, only either allowing everything or nothing for one program. I dont understand why they didnt include fine tuning for invizibles firewall, i dont think i'm only one who would like to fully control their phones network, or at least as much as possible.

[-] kekmacska@lemmy.zip 1 points 4 days ago

adaway can block domains and ip addresses individually, but it only captures domain requests

[-] reksas@sopuli.xyz 1 points 4 days ago

That one still didnt have the features i need, i have used that one too. I think i got really lucky when i came across rethink, it was some comment in lemmy and i havent seen anyone else mention it, which is why i try mentioning it occasionally too when it fits the topic.

[-] kekmacska@lemmy.zip 2 points 4 days ago

i'd still choose invizible pro over rethink. Have you used portmaster on windows or linux? i heard people recommending it

[-] reksas@sopuli.xyz 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

I havent heard of that. I have been searching for firewall like this, thank you.

this post was submitted on 01 Feb 2025
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