I installed NetGuard about a month ago and blocked all internet to apps, unless they're on a whitelist. No notifications from this particular system app (that can't be disabled) until recently when it started making internet connection requests to google servers. Does anyone know when this became a thing?
Edit 2: I bought my Pixel 6 phone outright, directly from Google's Australian store. I have no creditors.
Were the courts not enough control for creditors? Since when are they allowed to lock you out of your purchased property without a court order?
I don't even live in the US, so what the actual fuck?
Edit 1: You can check it's installed (~~stock~~ Pixel 6 android 14) Settings > Apps > All Apps > three dot menu, Show system > search "DeviceLockController".
I highly recommend getting NetGuard, you can enable pro features via their website if you have the APK for as low as 0.10€, but donate more, because it's amazing. You can also purchase via Google Play store.
Weird, I have project fi and don't have this app. It could be contractually required by your service provider that the app be installed on all the phones that they sell. That's a thing that they do.
Who is the carrier?
I don't have a carrier in that sense. I bought it directly from the Australian Google Store outright, and pay prepaid plans for mobile coverage.
It's 100% mine, unlocked to use with any network it's compatible with.
That's weird then, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. It'd have to be connected to the carrier for it to be used. Maybe root the device and delete it? Alternatively, you could remove it with ADB terminal. Are you familiar with those at all?
https://www.techmesto.com/uninstall-pre-installed-apps-from-android-phone/
Only somewhat. I think I should be able to figure the ADB terminal out as I've used it before (on training wheels following instructions).
Yeah overall I'm not too worried for me personally since I have it blocked behind a firewall.
It's more than google has this installed for many more devices than it should be, and the purpose of it in general.
Makes my blood boil, with how far corporate overreach has come.
They should NOT be allowed to enable extrajudicial enforcement like this. The world worked just fine before this. People had property repossessed, just there's a legal process to take. And a third party (the judicial system) decided whether to allow enforcement, not the creditor themselves.
Imagine you miss one phone payment (your card expires or something) and then you can't access you phone, the primary device for most people to manage their digital lives. They'll just be fucked, and it'll be the most vulnerable in society who suffer.
It's so wrong.
I think it's much preferable that some bad apples just don't pay and the creditor loses some money, than vulnerable people get their lives fucked over because they missed a single payment.
Dude, flash GrapheneOS or Calyx on it, and move on (totally Graphene if you MUST use the play store).
These fucking companies just don't take breaks on trying to fuck over users.
Apparently this included on some phones running GrapheneOS according to some other commenters.
I agree with your sentiment, but think we need to urge our governments to regulate the ever-loving god our of these companies.
It's getting more out of hand, and I don't think we should just resign ourselves.
Flashing GrapheneOS is not an option for the vast majority of people due to barriers to entry, and potentially essential banking apps not playing nicely.
I'd rather not move on. Heck 'em.
Banking apps are certainly a huge block for many to flash any phone with any ROM (for me they all work, but I know of many apps that just won't).
We should all be pushing in our own countries for our governments to regulate all these out of control companies, but i also think that, given the ability, each of us should do our best to do on our end what these companies are not willing to for our privacy and our security. It is a pretty deep rabbit hole, no doubt.
Have a great weekend, man.
You too friend :)
I totally agree. My thinking is that the most that I can do about this to fix this right now is to tell you how. It ain't much but it's honest work.