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🚨BREAKING: Google will soon install an app called #AndroidSystemSafetyCore

They say it's a "safety measure" to protect your #privacy, but in fact it's client-side scanning.

Yet, we all know that client-side scanning is bad: tuta.com/blog/eu-client-side-s…

Deinstall the app on your #Android: System -> Apps

in reply to Tuta

I'm pretty sure they won't be able to do it on #GrapheneOS and other custom ROMs 🙃
in reply to Michał Narecki

@michal See grapheneos.social/@GrapheneOS/….


The functionality provided by Google's new Android System SafetyCore app available through the Play Store is covered here:

security.googleblog.com/2024/1…

Neither this app or the Google Messages app using it are part of GrapheneOS and neither will be, but GrapheneOS users can choose to install and use both. Google Messages still works without the new app.


in reply to Truls

@truls46 See grapheneos.social/@GrapheneOS/….


The functionality provided by Google's new Android System SafetyCore app available through the Play Store is covered here:

security.googleblog.com/2024/1…

Neither this app or the Google Messages app using it are part of GrapheneOS and neither will be, but GrapheneOS users can choose to install and use both. Google Messages still works without the new app.


in reply to Tuta

I uninstalled it earlier today. Probably need to check every time there is an Android update.
in reply to Tuta

- exactly why I always flash a de-googled rom or alternative OS onto any mobile device I use. You gain better battery life and as close as possible to an ad free experience as well. Calyx, Graphene, crDroid, /e/, iode, Lineage, Ubuntu Touch, Sailfish, Mobian, Droidian, Postmarket, etc - all can work towards this.
in reply to Tuta

Fuck!
Was present on one of my devices.
Uninstalled.

Seems not to be listed as a regular app in the play store.
WTF

This entry was edited (1 month ago)
in reply to Tuta

Thanks for this, it was already installed in my S21.. uninstalled.

Monitoring now for reinstalls.

in reply to Tuta

Anyone know what versions of Android are effected by this, and is this an EU only problem or does this effect Android phones worldwide?

EDIT: Answer? Android 9 and up, and its worldwide

This entry was edited (1 month ago)
in reply to Tuta

already found it on my phone. And deleted it.

My next phone will be with #murena e/OS.

This entry was edited (1 month ago)
in reply to Tuta

Is there some info on how this service works and what it does exactly?
in reply to Tuta

See grapheneos.social/@GrapheneOS/….


The functionality provided by Google's new Android System SafetyCore app available through the Play Store is covered here:

security.googleblog.com/2024/1…

Neither this app or the Google Messages app using it are part of GrapheneOS and neither will be, but GrapheneOS users can choose to install and use both. Google Messages still works without the new app.


in reply to Max

@b7ed68b062de6b4a12e51fd5285c1e1e0ed0e5128cda93ab11b4150b55ed32fc See grapheneos.social/@GrapheneOS/….


The functionality provided by Google's new Android System SafetyCore app available through the Play Store is covered here:

security.googleblog.com/2024/1…

Neither this app or the Google Messages app using it are part of GrapheneOS and neither will be, but GrapheneOS users can choose to install and use both. Google Messages still works without the new app.


@Max
in reply to GrapheneOS

Link doesnt work, nostr native response would be appreciated, content addressable data is a gamechanger.
in reply to Max

@b7ed68b062de6b4a12e51fd5285c1e1e0ed0e5128cda93ab11b4150b55ed32fc We can make a Nostr account at some point. Does this work?

grapheneos.social/@GrapheneOS/…


The functionality provided by Google's new Android System SafetyCore app available through the Play Store is covered here:

security.googleblog.com/2024/1…

Neither this app or the Google Messages app using it are part of GrapheneOS and neither will be, but GrapheneOS users can choose to install and use both. Google Messages still works without the new app.


@Max
in reply to GrapheneOS

Nice!
By the way here the ID of the post in the nostr bridge.
in reply to Max

@b7ed68b062de6b4a12e51fd5285c1e1e0ed0e5128cda93ab11b4150b55ed32fc We can't see it. The bridge isn't really working well anymore. We'll just need to make a Nostr account soon and try to get people to start messaging our native account there instead of our Mastodon account. Bridge is not really usable anymore.
@Max
in reply to GrapheneOS

FFS go nostr (too), mastadon is nice for your local sports group but not for privacy or censorship resistance.

Ah yea and the zaps..

in reply to GrapheneOS

@0461fcbe do you have an idea what they can do to make the bridge work better?
in reply to sankthoshi

@3d31f7c911f457f2dc1debdef13c5313bc3a60af2ced854da92ed9b466603064 @b7ed68b062de6b4a12e51fd5285c1e1e0ed0e5128cda93ab11b4150b55ed32fc @0461fcbecc4c3374439932d6b8f11269ccdb7cc973ad7a50ae362db135a474dd It would be nice if we could trigger it to load earlier posts than one mentioning us to see what people are mentioning us for, which used to get triggered when we replied but seemingly not anymore. There are other issues too. We really just need to get around to making a Nostr account soon.
in reply to Tuta

Honestly my mobile phone was fine even before this application existed, off to the shadow realm it goes, but for a different reason!
in reply to Tuta

You can uninstall it but it will reinstall itself. Pretty sure this is being done under the banner of scanning for CSAM, similar to something Apple was involved with a few years ago. I don’t have many Android devices to worry about and none connected to a cellular network.
in reply to Brian Ragle (he/him/his) 🇺🇸🖖🏼

@ragle It is apparently for CSAM, but since it's probably not FOSS it's difficult (though definitely not impossible) to know what else it does, if anything: androidauthority.com/google-me…

It's quite annoying (and unhelpful for Google!) that the description in Play Store is incredibly vague...

This entry was edited (1 month ago)
in reply to Tuta

Already uninstalled.

Unfortunately, there isn't much in the way of alternative OS offerings for my Teracube 2e (current primary) or my Oneplus Six (first backup).

At least nothing that I've been able to find with a tutorial simplified enough for a nigh-layperson like myself.

And I can't afford a new phone right now.

in reply to Tuta

I came across this two days ago. It was installed on my system and the security scan feature reported that it was installed and scanned. It showed up when I unlocked my phone. It was installed in the background and the name is quite misleading. Thanks for this valuable information Tuta team, love you. 👍🏻
in reply to Tuta

Nothing new. In the closed Source World you have to trust your Key to Companies. Only Open Source and with Math, you have the Right to check and proof.
I do not trust, Google, Microsoft, Apple.. without Math or open Source... Compilers and or Hardware. I know we have no Choice cause sublayer complexity. However i would love to have Democracy and self sustainable informed individual Humans, Computers or Neural Networks. Like Perfect Markets or Internet, Worlds or Individuals...
in reply to Tuta

Read more in official blog post and this thread :blobcatreading:


You remember #Apple scanning all images on your #mobile device?

If you have an #Android #phone, a new app that doesn't appear in your menu has been automatically and silently installed (or soon will be) by #Google. It is called #AndroidSystemSafetyCore and does exactly the same - scan all images on your device as well as all incoming ones (via messaging). The new spin is that it does so "to protect your #privacy".

You can uninstall this app safely via System -> Apps.

developers.google.com/android/…


in reply to Tuta

Google's official statement about #AndroidSystemSafetyCore is here: security.googleblog.com/2024/1….

TL;DR: Yes, it does client-side scanning for nudity, but it only notifies the user. It does not (according to Google) notify anyone else. This is unlike the Apple thing, which scanned for CSAM in particular and then sent anything it identified to the government.

Of course Google might be lying, but that's always the risk of a closed OS. This changes nothing.

in reply to Tuta

I spoke with family and its been found on 3 Samsung galaxy phones so far

All easy to remove though

in reply to Tuta

Is there even any other function to the app that's not scanning of photos on user's phone?
in reply to Tuta

Thanks for letting us know 👍🏻 I got rid of the app as soon as I read this post.
in reply to Tuta

This feature doesn't actually send any data to Google unless the user chooses to report findings as spam. See security.googleblog.com/2024/1…

While I think it's generally fair to criticize corporations for their spying practices, I'm not sure what Tuta deems problematic in this case?

in reply to Tuta

Quoting a Mastodon post by GrapheneOS:
"The app doesn't provide client-side scanning used to report things to Google or anyone else. It provides on-device machine learning models usable by applications to classify content as being spam, scams, malware, etc. This allows apps to check content locally without sharing it with a service and mark it with warnings for users."

grapheneos.social/@GrapheneOS/…

#AndroidSystemSafetyCore #Android #Privacy #GrapheneOS


The app doesn't provide client-side scanning used to report things to Google or anyone else. It provides on-device machine learning models usable by applications to classify content as being spam, scams, malware, etc. This allows apps to check content locally without sharing it with a service and mark it with warnings for users.

in reply to Tuta

Do you guys know which Android versions are affected?
in reply to Tuta

Before you do you might wanna read this statement: grapheneos.social/@GrapheneOS/…

And if you still want to remove this feature, I suggest to switch to grapheneOS completely. You'll never know when it'll be back.


The functionality provided by Google's new Android System SafetyCore app available through the Play Store is covered here:

security.googleblog.com/2024/1…

Neither this app or the Google Messages app using it are part of GrapheneOS and neither will be, but GrapheneOS users can choose to install and use both. Google Messages still works without the new app.


in reply to Tuta

Deleted, was already installed on my #FairPhone #FairPhone5, thanks.
This entry was edited (1 month ago)
in reply to Tuta

Android by its very nature and design is a data harvesting mechanism.
in reply to Tuta

I dont have this installed on my system so far. I will still be on the look out
Im currently carrier locked but desperately want to switch to GrapheneOS. Its user uninstallable for now but we should have the package name saved so if it does become a system it can be nulled of via adb
in reply to Tuta

Uninstall #AndroidSystemSafetyCore and also rate it with just 1 star on play store.
This entry was edited (1 month ago)
in reply to Pelican Dock Music

@dockwalk
All of it. Or at least recommended stuff by github.com/Universal-Debloater… (do read the descriptions to decide what to might want to keep though). #debloat #android #uad
@Tutanota
in reply to Tuta

done. Also doing this on wife's phone and recommending to friends and fam.
in reply to Tuta

Should we expect to see Android System Safety Core in AOSP (Android Open Source Project aka 'stock Android')?
in reply to Tuta

...or might already have done so:

mastodon.sdf.org/@jack/1139522…


You remember #Apple scanning all images on your #mobile device?

If you have an #Android #phone, a new app that doesn't appear in your menu has been automatically and silently installed (or soon will be) by #Google. It is called #AndroidSystemSafetyCore and does exactly the same - scan all images on your device as well as all incoming ones (via messaging). The new spin is that it does so "to protect your #privacy".

You can uninstall this app safely via System -> Apps.

developers.google.com/android/…


in reply to Tuta

Removed it, but I wonder how long before it's integrated in the OS.

And what is the logic behind this? They are going to catch a few pedophiles stupid enough to keep pictures in their phones, while those who actually abuse children to make that content will continue doing what they do. As far as I can see this is just something that politicians and use and say "we did something".

And when privacy is eroded, so will be the other freedoms.