yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] highlandsun:
Better to use dnsmasq to block google-analytics. Unfortunately a lot of useful google services all share the same subnet or host addresses as the analytics crap. Block the address and you might also lose search, gmail, gvoice, etc... With dnsmasq you just point the google-analytics.com domain to a bogus address and the problem is solved. I send it to 0.0.0.0; I do the same for googlesyndication.com.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] AlexAlien1966:
You are right when it comes to blocking IP addresses, although i use AdFree (will take a look at dnsmasq). Still you should stop the kernel from sending data as long as it has no side effects on your device (on my SGS it works fine, no problem with +200 apps).

EDIT: Instead of dnsmasq simply use the host file! Or do i miss something here?

Cheers

Alex
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] highlandsun:
Using the hosts file you have to block each and every individual hostname. Using dnsmasq you can block entire domains/subdomains with a single statement. Much easier to manage in the long run.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] wrapper:
Glad this thread got published on the XDA Dev homepage, it seems to have gotten a lot more attention now.

It appears the simplest way to prevent this is to disable location services (it does also delete the file).

I think it's ironic that you can't use this option without agreeing to allow Google to 'collect anonymous location data' (which implies that indeed these coordinates DO get sent back to google). The fact that it goes on to say 'collection will occur even when no apps are running' is further indication that they're doing this for their own benefit.

My question now is - is there any way of using Location Services (i.e. Google maps telemast triangulation) without consenting to this tracking? Or is the only solution to use GPS?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Thnikk:
Well, my gps is broken and my data is always off :D
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] triggerftu:
Or just go into settings and turn off all the tracking then opt out for the gathering of data from your phone. Greatness of Android is the fact that this service is "selective" by the user.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] abrigham:
It does appear that, since this has come to light, there are a few different options. Even the Location Cache Viewer has a block option.

My question is, and I really do mean this in all sincerity with no flaming implied... How could you NOT know this was happening? One of the first things that comes up when you first turn on the phone (or do a factory reset/data wipe) is the option to allow Google to collect anonymous LOCATION information. Are you not reading what you're agreeing to?

Now, I'm not defending Google in anyway. They really should allow you to use their location services without having to agree to them collecting that data. I believe that's what the block feature in the Location Cache Viewer does, too. From what I can tell, it basically just prevents your location from being written to that cache so there's nothing to send back to Google.

Personally, I don't really care. Google (and other web sites) can get your location from your IP address, and most web servers will log that information so that the web master can get an idea of what geographical locations are visiting their site.

I understand that this location cache is a bit different and more specific because it uses a combination of cell tower and known wi-fi hotspots to pinpoint your location... but that's why I don't use Wi-Fi much away from home. I don't even leave it turned on, so my location cache is pretty much only based on cell towers (which in my area are pretty spread out) so my map view is pretty vague :)
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] macabreillusion:
We know the

and

fies are located in

If one has root cant the cache files be deleted then the permissions to the folder be changed so that no new data can be written to the folder?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Darnell_Chat_TN:
Please keep things on topic and make a separate thread for your other concerns.

Again to keep us on topic, everyone who wants to discuss things such as:

why didn't you know

allowing Android to phone home is a great idea

other privacy concerns such as cops downloading data from your device when they pull you over

various other subject matter that is not on the topic at the title of this thread

Please start a separate thread to discuss those. Some of those matters may or may not be matters I have thoughts on as well, but this thread is not for those topics.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] s0litaire:
Hmm...

According to my DHD, I've been in a house just a mile from London Liverpool Street Station. and an "Ivenco" Truck manufacturing plant Just west of Paris, France...

all without leaving Scotland...... ^_^ Wish i had the air-miles.....

This does not bother me, too much since Mobile phone makers have been doing this ever since we got WAP enabled phones...

Only difference is that we can see the files now...
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] abrigham:
Check out this app... it allows you to not only view the contents of the cache files, but also to clear them and change permissions so that they cannot be written to further.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] highlandsun:
I don't think changing permissions is the answer. (Especially since repair tools like Cyanogen's fix_permissions script will probably just put it back to normal again.)

The real answer is simply to turn off the Setting to use wireless networks for location information. Seriously, you cannot expect this feature to work without gathering/caching this information.

Google can't know where someone is based solely off a wifi MAC address. *Somebody* had to have recorded that wifi address along with a GPS reading at some point, and then fed that data back to Google first, in order for Google to get that location info. So *if* you want to use wifi addresses to help pinpoint your location, you naturally *must* record this type of info too, and you *must* feed it back to Google so that it can be correlated against other reports of that wifi address, to narrow down the location.

I.e., if you want to benefit from this feature, you have to participate in the data collection. If you don't participate, then the wifi data will be less accurate, and less useful to you.

I'm less convinced that there's a valid reason to cache the cell tower positions. CDMA towers already broadcast their lat/long automatically, so there's no need to gather a lot of data to correlate your position - you already get it for free. GSM towers don't provide this info directly, so it may be an optimization to cache the lookup from cell tower ID to lat/long coordinates in a local file. I guess anything that saves a remote database lokup down the road is worthwhile.

So you really have to decide - do you want the convenience of using these alternate sources of location info? Because you can't reap the benefit without paying the cost.

And the final point - the network operator already knows where you are, regardless of your choice of settings. Imo, using cell tower info to check your position on Google Maps just puts you on an even footing with your operator - it shows you how accurately your operator can track you - is already tracking you.

And of course, even if you only use the GPS, you tell Google where you are as soon as you run the Maps app. The only way to use the GPS "securely" is to have a complete hi-res map database already stored on the phone, so you don't have to download map data on the fly.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] macabreillusion:
I noticed this ^^ about a month ago after i updated my phone. Not only would Use wireless networks turn it self on but so would Use GPS Satellites. I could uncheck the boxes and with in 5 min they would be back. I went through every damn program to make sure there were no settings causing this. It took me a week to figure it out but in

settings.db i found the problem when i deleted the database and restarted the problem was gone.

You should take a look at that settings.db specifically the gservices section, you will be really surprised what you find in there.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] quail:
google removal script

This is a scripted I knocked up a while ago and have been using for fresh installs of OxygeN ROM to remove the google stuff I not use before I enter sim code and log into the phone. all that is left is enough google stuff to keep market happy. along with droidwall and allowing apps I want access to the internet my 3G signal status never goes green ie mean my phone logged into google.

#!/bin/sh

## edit path to adb
PATH=/home/<user>/bin/android-sdk-linux_86/platform-tools

$PATH/adb remount
$PATH/adb shell rm -f /system/app/GenieWidget.apk
$PATH/adb uninstall com.google.android.apps.genie.geniewidget

$PATH/adb shell rm -f /system/app/Gmail.apk
$PATH/adb uninstall com.google.android.gm

$PATH/adb shell rm -f /system/app/GoogleBackupTransport.apk
$PATH/adb uninstall com.google.android.backup

$PATH/adb shell rm -f /system/app/GoogleCalendarSyncAdapter.apk
$PATH/adb uninstall com.google.android.syncadapters.calendar

$PATH/adb shell rm -f /system/app/GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.apk
$PATH/adb uninstall com.google.android.syncadapters.contacts

$PATH/adb shell rm -f /system/app/GooglePartnerSetup.apk
$PATH/adb uninstall com.google.android.partnersetup

$PATH/adb shell rm -f /system/app/Talk.apk
$PATH/adb uninstall com.google.android.talk

wait 1

echo "All Done, rebooting now"
$PATH/adb reboot
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] kaijura:
Whoa, this is uncool.

When we are on or airplane mode, does this block all outgoing signals?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] wrapper:
This is great if you don't use Google services (i.e. maps, contacts, calendar, mail syncs). The whole point of getting an Android phone for me was to make use of those services.

I'd like to be able to use them without Google taking my location whereabouts. In particular, to use Google maps triangulation (not GPS) I will have to enable the anonymous data collection.

Any ideas on this? I'd personally like to see this addressed by modders (like CM etc) to eliminate Google talkback from their ROMs.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] selim97:
I dont know if this is related, but its weird and freaky...

I have a HD2 which I flashed Android on recently, I havent put my sim in yet but I have used WiFi and have had the 'Use wireless networks' option ticked. Anyway I was playing aroung with Google Maps one day, and I hit the search box, and there without me entering anything was the address of my workplace!! I was shocked why that even came up there! I havent used Maps to search for anything before, nor have I taken the phone into work, so I was trying to think how Google thought that the address might be of interest to me, it was freaky! I do have my works phone number stored in my contacts, and they do have a Google Places page...that must mean Google have access to my contact list without me ever syncing my contacts with them! They must have matched the phone number with that on the places page, and returned the address as an automatic suggestion as I have the phone number stored. That is sneaky!

Does anyone know about this? Or has anyone had a similar experience?

Ive just turned off the use wireless networks option now, and Ive used Location Cache viewer and its bought up 3 WiFi spots, 1 of which is got to be mine.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] syrenz:
Aside from being creepy - how does this actually affect me? How is this impacting me on a daily basis? (Not saying this thread is pointless - just trying to understand for myself why I would desperately want to block this practice.)
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] MarkusPO:
To answer the topic question. Turn your android phone off. You're not forced to use it. There are alternatives.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] MarkAtHome:
FWIW, since the Android OS is open source, why doesn't someone replace the Google location services with Bing's (or provide a choice).

I have used Bing in the past with no problems -- it locates me, does navigation, etc.

Of course, I do not know whether Bing collects anything for Microsoft. Pick your poison.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Darnell_Chat_TN:
Wow, sweet!

Since I stopped Android from phoning home I've also noticed as you mentioned "my 3G signal status never goes green". Before this, I didn't know the thing had any color BUT GREEN :o . Literally mine was green 24 X 7. And whenever I turned on WiFi I thought the WiFi signal turning green meant it was a good connection, but it really meant it was in use BY GOOGLE :o . Now my signals are always White.

If you want to use their services without always giving out location data, you could:

Settings > Location & security and unchecked the "Use wireless networks" box

In DroidWall disable access for Network Location, Google Calendar Sync, Google Services Framework, Google Contacts Sync

In DroidWall disable access for Maps

In DroidWall disable access for (Kernel) - Linux kernel

Then, whenever you want to sync data you could give rights to Google Calendar sync in DroidWall for the time you sync data. When you want to use Maps, you'd go into DroidWall and given access to Maps and Kernel. You'll be able to use Maps, but indoors it will be very slow giving you a location lock, since you'll be using GPS and cell triangulation alone.

I've frozen Maps, but if I ever defrost it for some quick use that's how I'd do it and I've already tested to ensure it works.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Darnell_Chat_TN:
Maybe because I've frozen the Maps app and unchecked using Wireless networks to share data with Google, I don't see any "gservices" section in the file at all.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] bountygiver:
"Settings > Location & security and unchecked the "Use wireless networks" box"

This will just stop android from tracking your location, as you see...

when you check that check box, there's already a message box saying google will collect location data from you... so this thing is not something big for me, google use these data to improve the google location services so we can get super accurate location data by wifi without gps

But if we are actually afraid of someone tracking our location, we can download an app and block it from being logged in our phone's memory...

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1047050
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Darnell_Chat_TN:
Since stopping Android from phoning home and freezing Maps, I saw something today when using CurrentWidget that I've never seen before, 2mA. Never before has my device battery usage been so efficient.

Full details of how to stop Android from phoning home are here and if you like you can go even further than that with a script like the one quail uses.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Darnell_Chat_TN:
I've added the following to the initial post.

Update 4/25/2011 5:00PM ET:

- Here's how I stop Android from phoning home.

- I dont' use this, but here's a sweet google removal script.

- A seperate thread for discussion: Why the data Android sends to Google is less anonymous than Apple's implementation
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] MarkAtHome:
Thank you, quail.

Never embracing Unix, and being in the process of migrating to Android, I have no clue as to how to make use of this code.

I could use a little hand-holding if you are up to it. :eek:
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] HD2_addict:
Even if cooked ROM's don't track you, the network will. It's the nature of the beast. The moment you connect to a network, any network, you're logged. There's nothing you can do about it except switch off your phone. You can always insert a prepaid SIM card. They are anonymous, but they are a lot more expensive to use.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] paow:
Instead of blocking Android from phoning home, just have it send fake location data from all around the world :D
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Darnell_Chat_TN:
Since stopping Android from phoning home, I've noticed my GPS lock times are very fast. Even without using GPS Status and Toolbox to download the absolute latest aGPS data, my lock times for any app that uses GPS are fast, like always in seconds now. The same with the lock time when I fire up GPS Status and Toolbox. Has anyone else who stopped Android from phoning home noticed similar?

Now my device GPS works similar as it did with Windows Mobile. Perhaps stopping Android from phoning home forces the GPS to stay "warm"?

Please take this sort of conversation to a separate thread. This sidebars away from the topic. The question at hand is not about blocking all network reporting of location, the question is simply about methods to stop Android from phoning home to Google. If you read further than the first few posts, you would know how things further played out in this thread for wrapper.

Get GScript off the Android Market. Copy the script into a file and give that file a name that has a ".sh" extension. Copy the file to your device MicroSD. Open GScript, press the menu button and select "Add script". After adding, hold your finger on screen where the newly added script is and select "Run" from the pop-up menu.

I've never used quail's script myself, but that's how you can run it. quail may have a more efficient means of running it, but I'm sure they can answer that.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] MarkAtHome:
Excellent. Thanks, Darnell.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] quail:
I am happy to help you out, let me know where your up to an need help.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] m4a1rifle:
Does this: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1047050 solve the problem?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] wrapper:
Not exactly. I've been in touch with the developer to ask whether blocking the cache prevents data being sent to Google. He replied:

So all it does is prevent the recent 50 cell locations / 200 wifi networks being stored on your phone.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Omnichron:
Hello Sir,

How do I apply the script mentioned in the ohter page to stop google from phoning home? Thank you very much!:)
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Darnell_Chat_TN:
See comment #65 in this thread :) .
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Omnichron:
Thank you so much Sire! :bow: :D

wow!!!! lolz I'm set! thank you thank you!
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Darnell_Chat_TN:
I've made a seperate thread for another topic that relates to device privacy:

[Q] How do we protect our Android device from the CelleBrite UFED?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Darnell_Chat_TN:
For some reason, today I could no longer use Android Market until I enabled access in DroidWall for "Network Location, Google Calendar Sync, Google Services Framework, Google Contacts Sync". Until today I was able to keep that blocked with no issues connecting to Market. So now whenever I want to use Market I must enable that :( .
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Darnell_Chat_TN:
And I "think" that I know WHY this is now the case, check this out:

Wireless Tether App for Android Gets Banned by Carriers

I can no longer see the Wireless Tether app in Android market. So perhaps this must all be part of the effort to cater to carriers' wishes.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Darnell_Chat_TN:
I'm finding the same is the case with the Gmail app. I can disable "Network Location, Google Calendar Sync, Google Services Framework, Google Contacts Sync" again via DroidWall after enabling it and connecting to Market or/and Gmail. After disabling it again, I can continue to use Gmail and/or Market until I reboot. If I reboot, I must again enable the same access temporarily.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Darnell_Chat_TN:
And today after a reboot, I'm still able to reach Android Market, with "Network Location, Google Calendar Sync, Google Services Framework, Google Contacts Sync" still disabled.

So the need to enable it seems to have been a periodic issue.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Mistwalker:
I can't understand that this behaviour is allowed by law. If this was applied here in Sweden the KKV (Konkurrensverket, a federal organisation which makes sure that there are no monopoly, cartells etc) would go nuts. There was an application sent in by a carrier that (not applications as in app) would allow them to disallow Skype phone calls over their networks. Turns out that's restricting users from what they are paying for - free data, hence - not allowed = citizens wins! :D
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] XtaC318:
I'm on Sprint, and the wireless tether app still appears for me.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] T-Macgnolia:
Just wanted to drop in again as say thanks to Darnnel_Chat for this thread I have enjoyed following this thread. I think it is a very useful thread as it helps stop what I consider consumer abuse, and not to mention help free up resources like battery and memory on our Droid devices. Also wanted to say congrates to D_C for getting another artical published in the XDA Portal. The carrier companies are just getting rediculous now by hidding the WiFi tethering app. When will they learn though lol. :p

Congrates again D_C and keep up the good work man.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] XtaC318:
They'll never learn, money fogs their judgment. So far, only one company has learned the true power of a development community. *looks at Google*
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] dvdivx:
What is the point of worrying about what Google does with admob vs installing something like Pandora that reads your personal contacts. It's not just the phone's OS that spy's on you.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] jdb78:
I still see the app in the Android market when using a cellular connection (T-Mobile Germany, Complete L contract).

But I used to have another contract before which did not allow anything else but port 80. First Android worked well with that because they weren't blocking ports but soon they realized that ppl. were using those data plans for Android so they blocked ports for i.e. GTalk - which made the push email and market stop working. Even maps stopped working then. As soon as I switched to a more valuable contract everything worked again.

Sorry for being a bit OT - I really like the thread, it is very interesting for me. I also use Droidwall but TBH I am too lazy to block and allow the ports every time for the Google services - I use the calendar and mail frequently.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] matthew5025:
Thank god all the carriers in my country do not have a separate plan for tethering.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] AnalogXDA:
What I don't get is why I can't configure my Android device to use network information from the cellular network (tower location, agps data) to help the device locate itself, but *not* use Google's network location services or agree to their ridiculous background data collection.

I could do it on my Palm Pre and on my last two dumbphones, so why not this one? Is this something that could be done with an easy hack, or built into a custom ROM?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] highlandsun:
If you're on GSM, you need access to a database that maps cell tower IDs to physical coordinates. There are no public databases for this data. Google has built their own database, using the data collected from all the Android users who opt in on this. (On CDMA the towers all broadcast their coordinates so no extra database is needed.)

If your AGPS is working then you don't need to use cell tower IDs at all, so you might as well just turn that feature off.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] quail:
I have had the same problem in the past too, but it not a real biggy at the end the day for me. I wish I had an answer and a fix for ya, but I am yet to find one as the problem has not happened enough to get a fix on it.