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Yale Privacy Lab and Exodus Privacy's F-Droid Android App Store is a Replacement for Google Play That Features Only FOSS Apps That Don't Do Any Tracking (wired.com)

Google Play, the marquee Android apps store, is filled with apps that are riddled with hidden trackers that siphon a smorgasbord of data from all sensors, in all directions, unknown to the Android user. Not content with the strides Google has made to curtail the issue, Yale Privacy Lab has collaborated with Exodus Privacy to detect and expose trackers with the help of the F-Droid app store. From a report on Wired: F-Droid is the best replacement for Google Play, because it only offers FOSS apps without tracking, has a strict auditing process, and may be installed on most Android devices without any hassles or restrictions. F-Droid doesn't offer the millions of apps available in Google Play, so some people will not want to use it exclusively. It's true that Google does screen apps submitted to the Play store to filter out malware, but the process is still mostly automated and very quick -- too quick to detect Android malware before it's published, as we've seen. Installing F-Droid isn't a silver bullet, but it's the first step in protecting yourself from malware.

3 of 60 comments (clear)

  1. Announce? by el+borak · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What's to "announce"? I've been running F-Droid for years.

    --
    An imperfect plan executed violently is far superior to a perfect plan. -- George Patton
  2. Re:What is the point by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Ah yes, you're the retard who turns up on every security related thread saying "Why bother to have any security when you can't have perfect security"
    Why even close your front door, they can just smash a window?
    Why bother walking on the sidewalk instead of on the road, you can still get run over?

    Do you have any idea how stupid you sound?

    Malicious apps are probably the biggest security problem on the Android platform. If you can live with the limited selection, Fdroid gives you almost complete protection against this.

  3. Used F-Droid ever since, no Google on my Android by ffkom · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ... devices. I have yet to miss anything, F-Droid has more "Apps" than I would ever want to install. My smartphone is still a phone, it is not a gaming console. Everything regarding communication or navigation is covered by the applications on F-Droid. Never felt a tickle to create a "google account" or to install anything from that "play store", which has a correct and telling name.