DeGoogle Yourself

8799 readers

2 users here now

A community for those that would like to get away from Google.

Here you may post anything related to DeGoogling, why we should do it or good software alternatives!

Rules

Be respectful even in disagreement
No advertising unless it is very relevent and justified. Do not do this excessively.
No low value posts / memes. We or you need to learn, or discuss something.

Related communities

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

founded 4 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

174

motivation to deGoogle: Creditors can lock your Android remotely if you are delinquent. (infosec.pub)

submitted 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

93 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The technical mechanism:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.devicelock

update

To be clear, I am not the OP who experienced this problem. I just linked them from here.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I don't think any of the major (I know someone will probably come in here and tell me about some tiny provider that's only in like 2 states that does) US carriers that do phones on secured credit, they default to unsecured credit. Maybe, they have an alternative plan for people with not so great credit, but I doubt it.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Someone in the original thread said this swindle does not apply to the US. Though I’m a bit surprised.. it’s the first place where I would expect this to happen.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

The US carriers install their own software loads onto phones they sell, with similar functionality, they don't need to use this mechanism.