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Wasnt there an issue where certain devs’ accounts were compromised and malware was being distributed?
EDIT: that wasnt why. Kde connect was removed until its sms functionality was removed due to new security policies: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/mobile/kde-connect-kicked-from-google-play-returns-less-the-app-it-was/
So basically, if there’s any app where the developer releases a Play Store version, but also has a separate non-Play Store version with added functionality that goes against the Play Store’s ToS, Play Protect is going to remove it from your device?
Not flag it, or remove permissions, or freeze it, just straight remove it.
So for example, the Private Internet Access VPN app has a play store version without the ad and tracker blocking functionality, because that goes against the Play Store TOS. But you can get the full version with the ad blockers as an APK from the official website.
Is Play Protect gonna nix that, too?
I don’t believe that play protect actually scans or does anything to an apk that isn’t installed through Google play, but you do have the option to turn it off through the Google play store settings.
*Seems that it potentially may remove apks from other store installs. If that’s the case, shut the stupid thing off if it causes you problems.
So for example, the Private Internet Access VPN app has a play store version without the ad and tracker blocking functionality, because that goes against the Play Store TOS. But you can get the full version with the ad blockers as an APK from the official website.
What?
I have the play store version of Mullvad and it has ad & tracking blocker functionality.without the ad and tracker blocking functionality, because that goes against the Play Store TOS
Yet there are straight up ad blockers on the Play store.
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Can’t you still disable it? I’m still sitting on 11, LineageOS, enjoying my file explorer, so I have no idea what they’ve changed recently with 12 or 13, but I have Play Protect disabled. Never a peep from it.
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I’m seeing these quite often with people taking the name of the app as “proof” it’s fine. Even if you got it from a reputable source, you should verify the checksum at the very least. Because if you don’t, thinking this stupid feature is stupid, you may just have malware on your system.
That’s fucked up.
Google thinks anything that isn’t Google is harmful(to their bottom line).
to their bottom line
They feel that way about a lot of their own services too
It’s almost as if they’re a business created to make money
As an F-Droid enthusiast, I think Google Play is malware.
That’s why everyone (who isn’t completely tech-illiterate) should disable this crap or degoogle even further.
If everything around you is harmful maybe you are the harmful one google
uBlock Origin is harmful to our profitability and was uninstalled.
I would stop using the internet
Meanwhile, I can’t view a single Google service without ads for Temu being pushed hard all over my shit despite it literally being spyware
Installed my version with f-droid.
No problems for me.
Edit I’ve made it a rule-always check for open source or non-Google source, installation away from play store is vastly preferred.
That’s why I decided to turn Play Protect off. Kinda useless for me and only does bullshit like that.
Just install it via Fdroid. I would not even be surprised if they’d still remove it.
I use CalyxOS btw, google can’t touch me.I want to install SharkBait on my phone. It is Gentoo-based android.
That’s due to Google adding play protect to the play store, which scans for “malicious” apps on your device that were installed outside of the play store. If you’re someone that likes to sideload and knows what they are doing then I would suggest turning it off to avoid Google removing your stuff.
I wanna preface this by saying that I run GrapheneOS (GOS), so idk if that has anything to do with the fact that nothing has flagged my version of KDE Connect. If it’s a Google Play Services (GPS) thing, then:
- I guess it depends on whether you run GPS on your GOS phone, or
- Maybe it doesn’t even depend on #1, since GPS runs as unprivileged. I put KDE it on my GPS profile, and didn’t get any notification about this.
Guessing this is just a Play Protect thing.
Nevertheless, if you’re installing FOSS apps, try installing them via Obtanium instead of the Google Play Store.
You can simply copy and paste the source code URL into Obtanium, and it’ll grab the APK, as well as notify you when there’s updates.
It supports F-Droid, GitHub, GitLab, and other sources.
