PSA: Nova Launcher added Facebook and Google Ads tracking
from younesdz@lemdro.id to privacy@lemmy.ml on 21 Jan 02:14
https://lemdro.id/post/35102061

cross-posted from: lemdro.id/post/35049920

The latest update for the popular Nova Launcher app includes Facebook Ads and Google AdMob.

Compare 8.2.4: reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/698198/

With 8.1.6: reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/673643/

From 2 trackers to 6 trackers. From 30 permissions to 36. And two of the “trackers” are for ad stuff, like Facebook Ads.

I believe the owner also changed. It’s no longer Branch, but something called Instabridge Sweden.

#privacy

threaded - newest

extremeboredom@lemmy.world on 21 Jan 02:51 next collapse

Joke’s on them, mine can’t talk to a network.

KickMeElmo@sopuli.xyz on 21 Jan 03:59 collapse

Oh hey, I just noticed App Manager can apply that net policy. Neat, that’s easier than how I used to do it.

reabsorbthelight@lemmy.world on 21 Jan 06:02 collapse

Does this work on normal Android? I still have some phones on normal Android

North@lemmy.org on 21 Jan 06:11 next collapse

Yes, it works for Android

KickMeElmo@sopuli.xyz on 21 Jan 07:04 collapse

Yes, but doing that part requires root.

autonomoususer@lemmy.world on 21 Jan 06:19 next collapse

Stop, stop, stop, hold up. Which libre software license text file was it released under, none? So, we never controlled it.

We saw what happened with Reddit and now this. Go check every app on your device for a libre license, now.

If they scam you like this a 3rd time, you deserve it, lmao.

ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 21 Jan 08:33 collapse

It got sold to a new company and the original dev left…they can just release it under a new license if they want, so whatever license it once was released under could be irrelevant when they did a new release/update.

autonomoususer@lemmy.world on 21 Jan 11:45 collapse

Wrong, this cannot undo a libre release or block forks. We control libre software, not their time.

ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 21 Jan 11:52 collapse

Yeah but that means users need to go get a different launcher (technically, since it’s a fork to a new project) than the one that they have installed. The already installed launcher will just continue with a new license.

autonomoususer@lemmy.world on 21 Jan 11:59 collapse

Wrong, F-Droid official repos block this attack.

CocaineShrimp@sh.itjust.works on 30 Jan 05:55 collapse

Leaving this here: they’ve started putting in ads