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Privacy: Limit the presence & activity of Google Play Services

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  Privacy: Limit the presence & activity of Google Play Services Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-09-08 04:32 +0000
    Re: Privacy: Limit the presence & activity of Google Play Services Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-09-08 05:21 +0000
      Re: Privacy: Limit the presence & activity of Google Play Services Marion <marionf@fact.com> - 2025-09-14 01:02 +0000
    Re: Privacy: Limit the presence & activity of Google Play Services Qihe <Q@invalid.invalid> - 2025-09-08 12:04 +0200

#150499 — Privacy: Limit the presence & activity of Google Play Services

Privacy Experiment: 
 Limit the presence & activity of Google Play Services.

Just now, I decided to see what happens if I limit background 
activities of Google Play Services <com.google.android.gms>.

Permissions:
 Body sensors, Call logs, Cameras, Contacts, Microphone, 
 Music and audio, Nearby devices, Notifications, Phone, 
 Photos and videos, Physical activity, & SMS.

Muntashirakon App Manager shows that I have this version
 Google Play services <com.google.android.gms> 
 Version 23.33.16 (190400-560149061) (233316044)

Here is what I manually set the Google Play Services permissions to
(where I show the options available in my Android 13 Samsung Galaxy)

 Body sensors 
  (_)Allow only while using the app
  (o)Don't allow

 Call logs
  (_)Allow 
  (o)Don't allow

 Cameras
  (_)Allow only while using the app
  (_)Ask every time
  (o)Don't allow

 Contacts
  (_)Allow 
  (o)Don't allow

 Microphone
  (_)Allow only while using the app
  (_)Ask every time
  (o)Don't allow

 Location
  (o)Off

 Music and audio
  (_)Allow 
  (o)Don't allow
  
 Nearby devices
  (_)Allow 
  (o)Don't allow

 Notifications
  Allow notifications = off
  
 Phone
  (_)Allow 
  (o)Don't allow

 Photos and videos
  (_)Allow 
  (o)Don't allow

 Physical activity
  (o)Allow  (grayed out)
  (_)Don't allow (grayed out)
  Device requires this permission to operate

 SMS 
  (_)Allow 
  (o)Don't allow

Note the oddity that "Physical activity" can't be disallowed!
 <https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/ge38h1/why_on_earth_can_physical_activity_tracking_not/>

What is my rationale?

Turning off all possible permissions for Google Play Services should reduce 
its ability to collect personal data, including location, contacts, 
microphone input & sensor activity. That's a win for privacy. However, as 
with all such privacy settings, some functionality may degrade or stop 
working entirely, depending on which apps rely on those services.

Here's what is said to possibly break or at least behave differently:
 a. Push notifications may stop for apps using Firebase Cloud Messaging.
 b. Location-based services may fail or show inaccurate data.
 c. Apps relying on Google's authentication may not launch or sync.
 d. Apps relying on Google's account services may not launch or sync.
 e. Media casting may not work
 f. Bluetooth pairing may not work, or 
 g. Apps relying on nearby device features may not work.
 h. Battery optimization may not work
 i. Apps relying on background activity management may not work

Since most of us are using alternatives for most Google apps, 
the impact should be minimal. The biggest risk is silent failure 
where some apps may not crash but quietly stop syncing or updating. 

We can monitor this using TrackerControl or App Manager to see what's 
still trying to reach Google servers.

If I notice anything breaking, I will let you know app names & behavior. 
Apps should only break if they're tied to Play Services permissions.

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#150500

UPDATE: 
Tested on Samsung Galaxy A32-5G, Android 13
Google Play services (com.google.android.gms)
Version: 23.33.16 (190400-560149061) (233316044)

Observed permissions and current settings:
1. Body sensors: Don't allow
2. Call logs: Don't allow
3. Cameras: Don't allow
4. Contacts: Don't allow
5. Microphone: Don't allow
6. Location: Off
7. Music and audio: Don't allow
8. Nearby devices: Don't allow
9. Notifications: Off
10. Phone: Don't allow
11. Photos and videos: Don't allow
12. Physical activity: Allow (grayed out, apparently required by system)
13. SMS: Don't allow

Privacy impact:
- With almost all optional permissions denied, Google Play services cannot
  directly access contacts, microphone, camera, location, call logs,
  media or most sensors.
- Oddly, the one exception is Physical activity, which is apparently 
  required by the OS & cannot be revoked without breaking core functions.

At this point, I'm unsure about potential functional impacts:
- Push notifications may fail for apps using Firebase Cloud Messaging.
- Location-based features in apps may be inaccurate or unavailable.
- Apps using Google sign-in or account sync may not work.
- Casting, Bluetooth pairing and nearby device discovery may fail.
- Some background services & battery optimizations may behave differently.
- Failures may be silent (e.g., apps may stop syncing perhaps).

Monitoring:
- TrackerControl can check com.google.android.gms for activity
- Anything else?

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#150561

Marion wrote:
> Tested on Samsung Galaxy A32-5G, Android 13
> Google Play services (com.google.android.gms)
> Version: 23.33.16 (190400-560149061) (233316044)

UPDATE

So far I haven't seen any deleterious effects from locking down the Google
Play Services <com.google.android.gms> permissions as far as they can go
(unrooted). I'm actually surprised. I thought something would break by now.

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#150504

Marion <marion@facts.com> ha scritto:

> Privacy Experiment: 
>  Limit the presence & activity of Google Play Services.
> 
> Just now, I decided to see what happens if I limit background 
> activities of Google Play Services <com.google.android.gms>.
> 
> Permissions:
>  [...]

> Muntashirakon App Manager shows that I have this version
>  Google Play services <com.google.android.gms> 
>  Version 23.33.16 (190400-560149061) (233316044)
> 
> 
My Muntashirakon shows: 363 permissions and 17 trackers on the
 version 25.34.34 
(260400-800653487) (253434035)

Funny, the easier setting on android 15 should be  "don't allow" 
 gms to any WiFi or mobile data... but... 
Once I start my "wireshark" it shows how gms keeps on pinging and
 connecting to "mtalk.google.com"!
Isn't it funny?

|
> 
> Turning off all possible permissions for Google Play Services should reduce 
> its ability to collect personal data 

> [...]
I've noticed the only way to stop gms doing whatever it likes is
 getting it totally "disabled". Wireshark confirms there are no
 more gms activities.

Note: if disabling gms could be lightly dangerous, removing it
 could be even worst, causing bootloops and loosing your data. So
 keep on taming it but don't remove it.

P.S.:
MagicOs systems were supposed to be degooglified. Well, they are
 not and you must accept google terms of service to proceed on
 your new smartphone setup!
Isn't it funny? 

-- 
Qihe

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