Gboard safe to use with network permission revoked?
from quickenparalysespunk@lemmy.dbzer0.com to privacy@lemmy.ml on 20 Feb 22:59
https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/38292815

cross-posted from: lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/38292767

for English i use heliboard. but i type in other languages also, and there are no practical choices in foss keyboards for those specific languages which also have the mainstream IME/key layout for my language (not qwerty).

fcitx provides some hope for the future but for now, it also doesn’t have the IME/key layout for my language (only has qwerty). hopefully it can also have handwriting in the future somehow (if only via user-installed model/blob similar to heliboard glide typing).

anyway, I’m on Graphene OS. so i wondered if revoking network permission and setting gboard permanently to incognito (is permanent possible?) would suffice to cut off data collection?

#privacy

threaded - newest

Xanza@lemm.ee on 20 Feb 23:32 next collapse

Yes, but you won’t have access to most of its features other than just typing. Since you’re using Graphene and Google Play/Google Play Services are sandboxed cutting network permissions from Gboard should be enough to completely disable its phone to home.

aguasemgas@lemmy.eco.br on 20 Feb 23:14 next collapse

The problem with gboard is that is a google service, which is connected to google play services, which if you have, you have to let it connect to the internet.

So unless you have a firewall where you can filtered connection between the apps or domains connected to Gboard, it does not will change much

merde@sh.itjust.works on 21 Feb 01:59 next collapse

i’m trilingual and i use AnySoftKeyboard ☞ github.com/AnySoftKeyboard/AnySoftKeyboard or github.com/AnySoftKeyboard/AnySoftKeyboard

it supports 58 languages. Did you try ASK?

jlow@beehaw.org on 21 Feb 22:44 collapse

You probably know about it but just in case you don’t:

keyboard.futo.org

I use this for English and German (not for voice input or anything fancy) and it’s perfect for me.